THE PRIMATES EXCEPT MAN 



111 



characters. The canines are reduced in size. The diet of 

 Tarsius is not certainly known bnt captive animals will eat 

 grasshoppers and drink milk out of a spoon. So far as infor- 

 mation goes the diet is insectivorous although the cusps of the 

 teeth are less sharp and more rounded than usual in insectiv- 

 orous Mammals. 



Another small Lemur, Microcebus murinus, the Mouse-lemur 

 (Fig. 35) of Madagascar belonging to a different family shows 

 pronounced lemuroid peculiarities, though at the same time it 



Fig. 35. — Dentition of Mouse-lemur (Microcebus murinus, Miller; 9.813-1 ). This 

 dentition shows some advances upon that of Tarsius in the incipient hypocone and the 

 loss of the paraconid. It is not so specialized as that of Tarsius in the incisor region. 



represents a primitive stage in evolution of the Primate denti- 

 tion. Its food consists of insects, fruit and perhaps honey. 

 The dental formula is: 



l|, Cy,p|,M§. total 36. 



The very procumbent lower incisors and canines are typi- 

 cally lemurine and are said to be used as a comb for the fur. 



