692 PRIMATES 
of evening they awake; and during the night they ramble among 
the branches of trees, slowly and quietly, in search of their food, 
which consists of tender leaves and fruit, small birds, insects, and 
mice. When in quest of living prey they move noiselessly till quite 
close, and then suddenly seize it with one of their hands. The 
female produces but one young one ata time. L. tardigradus was 
placed by Linneus at the head of the list of species of his genus 
Lemur, and its habits doubtless suggested the generic name which 
Fic. 329.—The Gray Loris (Nycticebus cinereus). From A. Milne-Edwards, N. Archives 
du Muséum, vol. iii. pl. 3. 
was transferred by Geoffroy to the less nocturnal and spectre-like 
Madagascar members of the group.! 
Loris.2—Upper incisors very small and equal. Orbits very large, 
and only separated in the middle line above by a thin vertical plate 
of bone. Nasals and premaxille produced forwards considerably 
beyond the anterior limits of the maxille, and supporting a pointed 
nose. Body and limbs slender. No external tail. Vertebre: C 7, 
D 14,L 9,8 3,C6. This genus is represented only by the Slender 
Loris (Z. gracilis) of Southern India and Ceylon (Fig. 330). This 
species is common in some of the forest regions of Southern India, 
and may be purchased in the bazaars at Madras, its eyes being 
regarded as a remedy by the natives for ophthalmic diseases. It is 
a strange-looking creature, about the size of a squirrel, of a 
yellowish-brown colour, with large, prominent eyes, pointed nose, 
1 For the anatomy of this genus, see J. L. C. Shroeder van der Kolk and 
W. Vrolik, ‘‘ Recherches d’Anatomie comparée sur le genre Stenops d’Illiger,” in 
Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde, Part I, Amsterdam, 1848-54. 
? Geoffroy, Mag. Encyclop. 2d ann. vol. i. p. 48 (1796). 
