1862-64 'MEMOIR ON THE AYE-AYE' 139 



retreat. Such labour would, however, be too much 

 for the reproductive power of even its strong-built, 

 wide-based, deep-planted, pulp-retaining incisors; in 

 most instances we may well conceive such labour 

 of exposure to be disproportionate to the morsel 

 to be so obtained. Another part of the frame of the 

 aye-aye is, accordingly, modified in a singular and, 

 as it seems, anomalous way to meet this exigency. 

 We may suppose that the larva retracts its head 

 so far from the opening gnawed in its burrow as 

 to be out of reach of the lips or tongue of the aye- 

 aye. One finger, however, on each hand of that 

 animal has been ordained to grow in length, but 

 not in thickness, with the other digits ; it remains 

 slender, as a probe, and is provided at the end with 

 a hook-like claw. By the doubtless rapid inser- 

 tion and delicate application of this digit, the grub 

 is seized and drawn out. For this delicate man- 

 oeuvre the aye-aye needs a free command of its 

 upper or fore-limbs ; and, to give it that power, 

 one of the digits of the hind foot is so modified 

 and directed that it can be applied thumb-wise to 

 the other toes, and the foot is made a prehensile 

 hand. Hereby the body is steadied by the firm 

 grasp of these hinder hands during all the opera- 

 tions of the head, jaws, teeth, and fore-paws 

 required for the discovery and capture of the 

 common and favourite food of the nocturnal 

 animal.' 



The living aye-aye, it may be added, was visited 



