70 



THE HALF-MONKEYS OR LEMUROWS. 



is about fifteen inches ; that of the tail, barely one 

 inch. 



The Slow Loris is difficult to study in its wild 

 state, but we know that it lives with its family, 

 sleeps during the day in hollow trees, and goes on 

 its search for food at dusk. The animal has rarely 

 been seen in its wild state by Europeans. 



In captivity Lorises are gentle, patient and mel- 

 ancholy. All day long they sit crouching down and 

 leaning their heads against their crossed arms. One 

 of them was once tied to a rope and it would repeat- 

 edly lift the fetter with a sad little gesture of seem- 

 ing complaint ; but it never tried to break its bonds. 

 At first it snapped several times at its keeper, but a 

 few light punishments sufficed to teach it self-re- 

 straint. When petted it would take the hand which 

 caressed it, press it to its breast and look up into 

 the sympathetic face with half-closed eyes. At 

 dusk it would rouse itself ; first looking around with 

 eyes yet full of sleep, rub them, and then begin to 

 wander about the cage. Ropes had been tied all 

 ahout and it would climb upon them. It was fond 

 of fruits and milk but had a special liking only for 

 birds and insects. When such game was proffered, 

 it would cautiously approach, as if on tiptoe, and at 

 about a foot's distance would stand up, softly stretch 

 its arm and then, with one movement, quick as 

 lightning, make a dash for its prey and strangle it. 



The Slow Loris I have seen and observed but two 

 and its living Slow Lorises; the first, only by 



Peculiar Traits, day, in the Zoological Garden at 

 Amsterdam. It was not quite so kindly a creature 

 as I had expected. Either it was annoyed by our 

 disturbing it, or else it was irritable by nature. In 

 any event it was highly indignant at our intrusion. 

 It spat like a Cat, and explained its meaning still 



wreaking this revenge, it slowly retired sulking to 

 its corner. Its retreat was performed in a manner 



THE SIiENDEK lOEIS.^-The -artist here shows the position of the Slender Loris at rest 

 when awalce, and also when asleep. It is curious to observe how in the first case it brings the hands 

 and feet nearly together and presses the body against the upper legs ; while in the other, the waking 

 position is partly assumed, but the face is pressed down behind the left arm, while the body is nearly 

 circular. (,Stenops gracilis ,) 



further 

 offence 



by trying to 

 it had been 



bite the 

 guilty of 



keeper's hand, an 

 before. Failing in 



SLENDEB LORIS lEUUB. The stealthy character of this night- 

 prowling animal speaks in its features and the large gleaming eyes bode 

 danger to the sleeping bird it may choose for its prey. The long, slender 

 limbs account for the awkwardness of the animal when in a sittii^ posture, 

 as shown by the figure in the front of the picture, while the deliberation as 

 well as stealth of the animal are well shown by the other in the background. 

 iStenops gracilis.) 



surprising to me, though I was familiar with Har- 

 vey's excellent drawing made thirty years ago. Fix- 

 ing its large eyes upon us, it went back, step by step, 

 and upwards on a nearly vertical pole. This means 

 that it occasionally climbs upwards, with the face 

 downwards. In my knowledge, no 

 other animal does that. When it ar- 

 rived at a point where two branches 

 diverged from the main pole it 

 stopped, and made the sketching 

 artist's task an easy one. 



LARGE-EARED MARIS. 



A well-known species of the 

 Half-Monkey tribe is the Large- 

 eared Maki or Galago, which older 

 travelers have frequently described. 

 Their sense of hearing is most 

 acute, as might be concluded from 

 their large, membranous ears. 

 The body of the Galago is slim, 

 but does not look so, for the coat 

 of fur is thick. The proportionally 

 large head shows abnormally devel- 

 oped ears that are -destitute of hair. 

 The large eyes are placed close to- 

 gether ; the limbs are of moderate 

 length ; the hands and feet are well 

 formed ; the index finger and sec- 

 ond toe, and in some the adjoining finger and toe, are 

 furnished with a claw : the others have flat nails. 



