132 



The Aye-Aye. 



a somewhat more satisfactory conclusion as to whether it is to 

 be regarded as a gnawing animal with the grasping hands of a 

 monkey, or a monkey with the rat-like teeth of a rodent. On 

 consideration of the most important peculiarities in its structure, 

 we cannot fail to obserye their extraordinary adaptation to the 

 habits, food, and mode of life of the animal, as recently made 

 known by the peculiarly interesting observations of Dr. Sand- 

 with. 



The aye-aye is about the size of a small cat. The head is 

 peculiar, the eyes being directed forwards, and not laterally as 

 in rodents. The ears are of large size, and also directed to the 

 front. The trunk is large, the chest being well developed ; the 



EOREHAND OF AYE-AYE. 



body is clothed abundantly with hair, and terminates in a long 

 bushy tail, which does not possess any power of grasping. The 

 great peculiarity of the outward form of the animal is in the 

 fore limbs, which somewhat resemble those of a lemur. The 

 fore-hand, like that of man and the quadrumana generally, is 

 capable of being turned either into the prone or supine posi- 

 tion. The first digit is readily opposable to the others, and so 

 constitutes a true thumb. The index finger, as shown in our 

 engraving of the fore-hand, is very short ; the middle finger is 

 long, and so singularly attenuated as to appear withered or 

 deformed, whereas the other fingers are of the ordinary thick- 

 ness. The palm is naked, and the whole hand looks not unlike 

 the miniature of a deformed and paralyzed human limb. The 



