LEMURS. 
11 
than those we have hitherto mentioned ; they are for the most part 
natives of Madagascar, although a few aberrant members of the 
group are found in Africa and Southern Asia. They are invariably 
arboreal in their habits, with generally long, bushy, and non-pre- 
hensile tails, opposable thumbs and great toes, large eyes, and long 
dog-like faces. They are divided into three families, of which the 
typical one, the Lemurida, contains all but the whole of the 
species. It is subdivided into the following groups : — 
1. The Indrisince {Indris and Propithecus) , from Madagascar, 
characterized by their disproportionately long hind limbs, hind toes 
united by skin, and the possession of only 30 teeth. They are 
exhibited in separate Cases in the centre of the Gallery, and in Case 
10. They are singularly variable in their colour, as may be seen by 
the mounted groups of the different species. When on the ground 
they move in an upright position, holding their arms over their heads 
in order to balance themselves, and progressing by short leaps, in a 
most awkward and ludicrous manner. 
2. The Lemurin(B or true Lemurs (Case 10), also confined to [Case 10.] 
Madagascar, have fore and hind limbs of nearly equal length, toes 
free to the base, and 36 teeth. They are more quadrupedal in 
their actions than the last group, moving about both on the ground 
and in trees with great activity. Like the Propitheci, they are very 
variable in their coloration, being marked with various shades of 
red, brown, and black. Specimens of the Ruffed Lemur [Varecia 
varia) are exhibited in one of the separate cases. 
3. The GalaginiruB are distinguished by the unusual elongation 
of their tarsal bones. There are two genera, of which the first, 
Chirogale, contains 3 or 4 small species, with long bushy tails and 
soft woolly fur. They are very like large dormice, both in their 
appearance and habits, building nests and hibernating during the 
winter. Galago, the second genus, is found in Africa, and dis- 
tributed from Senegambia to Mozambique. 
4. The group of LorisiruB contains 5 or 6 rare and curious forms, 
such as the Potto {Perodicticus potto) of Western Africa, and the 
Loris of India and Ceylon. Specimens of both are exhibited in 
Case 10. 
The second and third families of the Lemuroidea, the TarsiidcB 
and Chiromyidce, contain each a single species only, viz. the Tarsier 
