A STUDY FROM LIFE. 583 



with, a big leap into the middle of it, when the rustle instantly- 

 scared him off in a second bound as tremendous as the first. He 

 soon returned, however, and began again. He turned somer- 

 saults on it, rolled over on it, took hold of one corner and rolled 

 himself up in it. But during all these performances, every fresh 

 rustle of the paper put him in a panic, and he leaped spas- 

 modically away — a wild frolic impossible to describe, with atti- 

 tudes so grotesque, movements so unexpected, and terror and joy 

 so closely united, that it was the funniest exhibition one can im- 

 agine. The next evening I arranged a newspaper tentwise on the 

 floor. The lemur looked at it, contemplated the tempting pas- 

 sage-way under it, then dashed frantically through and flew to the 

 highest retreat in the room, as if he had taken his life in his 

 hands. He returned — for it was impossible to keep away — and 

 resumed the gambols, the hand-springs, the various fantastic 

 exercises, and between each two antics flung himself about the 

 room as if he had gone mad, ending every romp by sitting a few 

 seconds motionless, with a grave and solemn air, as if it were out 

 of the question that he could be guilty of anything frivolous. 



Unlike most beasts, this little fellow had a great liking for 

 strangers, and frequently took violent fancies, in which case it 

 was quite impossible to keep him away from the object of his 

 affections. Some people liked it, but others did not ; and when one 

 young lady was actually afraid of him, he appreciated her atti- 

 tude, and not only resented it by angry barking grunts, but con- 

 trived again and again to surprise her, by stealing up behind her 

 chair and suddenly pouncing upon her. Of course, she shrieked, 

 and he squealed and grunted and ran out his tongue at her. 

 With his friends he was troublesomely affectionate, insisting on 

 being held, on lap, arm, or shoulder, and following them from 

 room to room, in a long, droll gallop on the floor, or by jumping 

 from chair to table, and sometimes to their backs as they passed. 



Almost every sound the creature uttered reminded one of a 

 pig. Going about the room contentedly, he constantly made a 

 low sound represented by " oof ! " or " woof ! " with the tone and 

 accent of the animal mentioned ; when anxious to get out of his 

 cage, the grunt was double, like the drawing in and expulsion of 

 the breath in the same tone, varied — as has been said — by a little 

 explosive sound. His bark even was of a piggish quality. When 

 angry or hurt, he delivered a squeal and grunt together impossible 

 to characterize ; and if rubbed and caressed, he breathed out a 

 loud, rough purr. His cry of loneliness was truly piteous ; I heard 

 it occasionally through the register. It was a sobbing, dismal 

 sound, sometimes half a howl, sometimes with a retching sound. 

 In uttering this he opened a small round hole of a quarter-inch 

 diameter in the front of his very flexible lips. If this cry is a 



