146 BOTANIC GARDENS MENAGERIE 



I have seen one on board ship seize the cap from one 

 passing by and throw it overboard. Two which were put 

 temporarily into an empty tiger's cage soon escaped by unroof- 

 ing part of it, throwing the tiles down and speedily making a 

 hole large enough to escape. When the coolie got on the roof 

 with a sack to through over one, it suddenly pulled the sack 

 from his hand and rushed oft* with it. These monkeys live a 

 long time and suffer little from sickness. One was killed by 

 stomatitis, and some died of old age. 



They are affectionate apes, and recognize acquaintances 

 readily. Two which were bought by a passenger and kept for a 

 short time in the gardens were sent to the London Zoological 

 Gardens, where I saw them about a year later, when they 

 immediately recognized me and came down to shake hands, 

 though the keeper advised me that they were savage ! Common 

 and easily procured here, they seem to be seldom sent to 

 European Gardens. 



Nycticebus tardigradus. 



The Slow Loris. This little lemur is common and often 

 caught by the Malays, and many have been on view in the 

 gardens. It does not seem to be long lived and is a dull creature 

 in captivity, remaining curled up all day and only moving about 

 slowly at night. Its food, in a wild state, consists of fruit, 

 insects, and small birds. It seems strange that so slow and 

 weak a creature should be able to hold its own in a country 

 where there are so many predacious animals, for it appears to 

 have no means of defence. It is however not so harmless as it 

 appears, as, it can bite sharply, and its bite is poisonous. Two 

 instances of injury from its bite have been described to me. 

 Many years ago Mr. H. Everett while talking to 

 his brother, one evening in Borneo saw one of these little 

 animals in a ditch and picked it up. It bit him on the hand, 

 and he threw it down. His brother was walking away, and 

 though Mr. Everett could hear his footsteps now in the 

 distance he was unable to call him. His mouth and tongue 

 swelled up, and he was unable to walk. He attempted to 

 crawl up the hill to his own house, but only managed to get 



Jour. Straits Branch 



