72 



THE HALF-MONKEYS OR LEMUROWS. 



the above-mentioned traveler tells us, "the Comba 

 not infrequently invites himself to partake of the 

 feast. He drinks and experiences the truth of the 

 saying, that an excess of spirits fogs the spirits. For 

 the wonderful liquid streaming from the palm's 

 crown is not only sweet, but also intoxicating, and 



POTTO LEUTTB. This is a small animal, its body being only six 



inches long, and as the picture shows, has a short, stumpy tail and very 

 small ears. Like other nocturnal animals its eyes are very prominent. 

 It inhabits the West Coast of Africa and lives on fruits. (,Perodiciiciis 

 potto.) 



gets more so the longer it remains exposed to the 

 air. The thirsty guest loses consciousness, tumbles 

 down from the tree upon which his hold is usually 

 so secure, and lies on the ground, sleeping off the 

 effects of his debauch. The Negro who comes the 

 next morning to collect the palm wine that has 

 flown out, finds the still unconscious dreamer, and 

 either puts him in some improvised cage, or secures 

 him with a rope fastened around >the loins. The 

 next day he brings him to town and offers him to 

 some European, who regards the animal as a great 

 prize. In the course of time he abundantly repays 

 the trouble he gives while being tamed. In a room 

 which harbors a Comba, there is no comfortable 

 living for a Mouse. The room or ship he inhabits is 

 also sure to get rid of the troublesome Cockroaches. 

 We recollect with pleasure an experience we had on 

 a tedious journey. Our ship was infested with Cock- 

 roaches, and this made the occasional unpacking of 

 our trunks a necessity. As soon as the trunk was 

 opened, the odor of these insects would attract our 

 tame Comba. Though the time of day did not suit 

 him for exploits of this kind, he carefully examined 

 the contents of the trunk, and soon proved to us that 

 he knew very well what was expected of him. He 

 had ample scope for the display of his peculiar tal- 

 ents in looking after the disturbed army of Cock- 

 roaches. With surprising dexterity and lightning- 

 like rapidity he made. dashes at either a full-grown 



larva, and while one hand held the 

 ;wing to his mouth, the other was 

 hunting new game. In this way he kept on search- 

 ing, working and eating till he completed his ta.sk." 



Roach, or at a , 



one he was chewing ^to 



1 

 ing 



SECOND FAMILY: Tarsid^. 



Another little animal, the Tarsier, has, with just 

 cause, been made the representative of a distinct 

 species. It has a large, round head, set close on the 

 shoulders, a frog-like face, short fore-limbs and long 

 hinder paws, and a tail surpassing the body in 

 length. Its teeth resemble those of the Insectivora 

 or Insect-eating animals. The name Tarsier {Tar- 

 sidcs) is derived from the animal's very long tarsus, 

 or ankle-bones. By various naturalists it has been 

 classed with the Mice, with the Marsupialia, or 

 pouch-bearing animals, and with the Lemurs. Only 

 one, or, at most, two families belonging to this 

 group have yet been discovered, and these general 

 characteristics apply to both. 



The Spectre Tarsier {Tarsius spectrum) attains a 

 length of about seventeen inches, including the tail 

 which is about ten inches long. The fur is brownish 



ANGWANTIBO LEMUR. This is a small, symmetrical : 



animal resembling the Potto in some respects but having smaller ' 

 hands and feet and only a rudimentary tail, and its ears are pro- 

 portionately larger than those of the Potto. It is found in Cala- 

 bar, on the West Coast of Africa, and is very rare. (Arctoceitcs 

 calabarensis,) 



gray, the ears are bald and the eyes are proportion- 

 ately the largest of any mammal. Its finger-tips are 

 provided with pads. The Spectre Tarsier lives in 

 the Malay Archipelago and is by no means common. 



