MAMMALIA. 



33 



FAMILY III. LEMUR, Lin. MARIS. 



The incisive teeth in greater number, or otherwise directed, 

 than among the Monkeys ; fore-thumbs easily opposed to the 

 fingers ; nails flat, except those of the first or two first hind 

 fingers, where they are pointed and raised ; nostrils in the 

 end of the snout and winding ; their fur is woolly, and their 

 teeth begin to exhibit sharp tubercles catching in each other 

 as in the Insectivora. The Lemur, or Maki, properly so 

 called, is a very active animal, and, from its pointed head, is 

 sometimes called the fox-nosed Monkey. This species is very 

 numerous, and only met with in the island of Madagascar. 



ORDER III. CARNARIA* 



Unguiculated animals, with thumbs not opposable, having 

 the three kinds of teeth, and being born in the ordinary man- 

 ner ; jaws usually short, with the articulation transversely 

 directed, and hinge-like, so as to admit of no lateral move- 

 ment ; the muscles which move these parts are extremely 

 vigorous ; shape, acuteness and number of the teeth accord- 

 ing to the aliment, which is composed more or less exclu- 

 sively of prey ; length of the intestines inconsiderable, and 

 in relation also with the instinct, whether more or less san- 

 guinary, of these animals ; sense of smell more fully deve- 

 loped than any other sense. A numerous order, including 

 many curious animals ; consists of three families, of which 

 Plate 7 presents only the two first. 



FAMILY I. CHEIROPTERA. 



The character of this family is distinguished by a kind of 

 wings formed by a fold of the skin, which commences at the 

 sides of the neck and extends between the fore feet and toes, 

 enabling them to fly, which, to give the necessary rotation of 

 the arm, requires them to be furnished with complete clavi- 



* Flesh-eating. 



E 



