Quadrupeds. 1587 



side, caught it up by the nape of the neck, ran up the side, holding it 

 at arm's length, and threw poor puss, in spite of her struggles, down 

 the hatchway. When in my possession, I took the lemur to the inn, 

 and left him tied to the bed-post, but in the evening the chamber-maid 

 came down much frightened, declaring there was something black in 

 the room, sitting on the bed like a Christian, chattering at her. Now 

 I have him at home, his usual position is on his hocks, like a squirrel, 

 with the tail curled round in front and over the left shoulder, the head 

 sunk ; but when before the fire, it will stand on its feet, with his tail 

 stretched out behind or up, squirrel-fashion and S- shaped, or he sits 

 on the edge of the fender with his legs out (like a man on a chair), 

 his arms spread, and his little head moving restlessly about : the first 

 day or two, indeed, he was so taken up with looking at the new objects 

 around him, that he frequently over-balanced himself and fell off his 

 seat. He eats dry bread (holding a slice in one hand, and biting off 

 a small piece at a time), biscuit well soaked, fruits of all kinds, cooked, 

 raw, or dried, cooked fish and meat ; the latter, however, but rarely. 

 I am told that he will catch mice very well, but I have not had the 

 opportunity of trying him. He also eats the seeds, fruit, flowers and 

 leaves of fuchsias, geraniums, marygolds, and other plants, and will 

 drink sometimes a pint of water per day. When out in the park, 

 where I occasionally take him, he enjoys himself greatly, bounding 

 often only on his hind legs over the grass, or cantering along the 

 paths, stopping to eat the shell gravel lately laid down there. When 

 loose, my lemur rushes round the room, leaping from picture to picture 

 very rapidly, and climbs the doors and architraves by placing his 

 hands one on each side and jerking up : the noise made by this re- 

 sembles that occasioned by the use of new India-rubber on paper. 

 He will hang by his fore paws, and move along the top of the door : 

 in fact, all his actions and movements resemble those of the squirrel 

 and monkey, but without the spiteful and mischievous propensities of 

 the latter animal. This lemur never scratches or bites. He will 

 chatter peevishly, like a squirrel, when teased, but his note of satisfaction 

 is a low grunt, increasing in sound when in rapid motion ; occasion- 

 ally, though rarely, he will mew until he makes himself hoarse. This 

 little animal is very fond of being caressed and combed, and will run 

 to his friends, and hold out his arms to be taken up and nursed, when 

 he will lie quietly in the lap, or under the coat, and cling tightly if 

 any one attempt to remove him. He is very inquisitive, and will watch 

 for the cupboard's opening, to run in, and try and steal gingerbread 

 and sugar, and if the keys are left in he will pull at them to open it. 



