A REMARKABLE MAMMAL 181 
If, however, ‘“hai-hai” be, as Mr. Baron asserts, the 
creature’s own cry, then it would seem more likely that 
the exclamation has been derived from the animal, and 
not that the animal has taken its name from the exclamation. 
Anyway, there seems undoubtedly to be some kind of 
connection between the exclamation “hai-hai” and the 
name “aye-aye,” and we may therefore be content to 
accept the latter as the popular title for Chzromys 
madagascariensis. The naturalist to whom allusion is 
made above tells me, however, that the creature certainly 
has another vernacular title in some parts of the island. 
As already mentioned, the naturalist Gmelin, by whom 
the aye-aye was originally described, regarded it as a 
kind of squirrel—an opinion shared at first by the great 
anatomist Cuvier. This view of its relationship was 
doubtless formed from the somewhat squirrel-like appearance 
of the animal, and the approximation made by its teeth to 
the rodent type. When, however, the Paris specimen was 
more carefully examined, and its skull and certain other 
bones removed from the skin, it became apparent that its 
relationships were evidently with the lemurs ; the German 
naturalist Schreber being the one to whom the honour of 
this identification is due. 
From Schreber’s time till 1860 little or nothing more 
was done to advance our knowledge of the aye-aye, of 
which the Paris specimen remained the only example 
in Europe. In 1858, however, Dr. Sandwith left England 
for Madagascar, and previous to his departure Sir Richard 
(then Professor) Owen impressed upon him the importance 
of endeavouring to obtain specimens of this rare animal. 
A year later the Professor received a letter stating that 
with much difficulty a specimen had been secured; and 
this in due course arrived in England preserved in spirit. 
