210 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
many wives ; but in some instances, where the colour of the male and his ornamentation differs from 
that of the female, it has been possible to trace their habits. Thus, the Gorilla is undoubtedly a 
polygamist, and the males and females differ. So it is with the Baboons, which live in troops or herds 
containing twice as many adult females as males. Amongst the South American Monkeys the Howler 
( Mycetes caraya) usually lives with two or three wives, and is distinguished from them by Iris voice 
colour, and beard; and the Capuchin, which also differs from the female, is probably polygamous. The <mod 
example of having one wife set by some Monkeys is utterly lost upon some Eastern potentates. Thus, 
feir John Lubbock states, that an intelligent Ivandyan chief — of course a polygamist was perfectly 
scandalised at the utter barbarism of living with only one wife, and never parting until separated by 
■death. “ It was,” he said, “just like the Wanderoo Monkey.” P. Martin Duncan. 
CHAPTER XI Y. 
THE LEMUROIDA. 
1. INDRIS. — 2. LEriLEMUR HAPALEMUR. 
The Name of the Genus Lemur popularly given to the Group — Lemuroida the Correct Name — Their Distinctive Characters 
Their Hands and Feet — Ankle-bones — Tail — Rete Mirahile — Nostrils — Colour of the Eye — Ears — Teeth — Brain — 
Resemblance to Monkeys — Their Locality —Lemur at Liberty— Its Playfulness — Division of the Lemurs— Beauties 
of Madagascar — Genus Indris — Described by Grandidier Their Locality— Colour — Fingers — Teeth — The Diadem 
Indris — Specimens at the British Museum — Little known about it— The Woolly Lemur— Described by Sonnerat— 
The Short-Tailed Indris— Distinguished by its Tail— Its Skull— Genus Lepilemur— Their Teeth— Tail— The 
Weasel Lemur — The Grey Lemur — Specimens obtained by Pollen — Their Cry. 
The forests of Madagascar, of Western and Eastern Africa, and of some of the Asiatic Islands, are the 
homes of several kinds of animals which are not unlike the Monkeys in some respects, but which differ 
from them in their habits of life, and, to a certain extent, in their anatomy. Most of them are in the 
habit of hiding up all the day, and of moving with great vivacity at dusk and during the night-time. 
Their gliding, noiseless motion amidst the dense foliage of the tropical woods during the dark hours, 
and their restless activity in searching for their food during the short twilight, were considered to 
resemble the fitful apparitions of sprites, spectres, and hobgoblins, and hence Linnaeus gave them the 
name of Lemurs, taking the term from the Latin (lemur es), “ghosts.” The name has been adopted 
popularly, SO as to include all the kinds which, with some structural resemblance to the Monkeys, are 
for the most part nocturnal in their habits, and it really appears to represent the notions which the 
excessively timid and superstitious natives of the Eastern Islands have of the malevolent influence of 
some of these active and very small creatures, whose large eyes glare and shine in the dark woods as 
they rush to and fro before the extreme darkness of the night commences. The use of the name has 
been productive of some confusion, for it was especially given to one genus or group of kinds which is 
restricted to the Island of Madagascar. The genus Lemur, with a species of which most visitors to the 
Zoological Gardens are familiar — the Ring- tailed Lemur — by no means contains all the animals now 
under consideration, and they have been arranged under other groups, or genera, and have different 
names ; yet they are all popularly called Lemurs. 
Hence, to avoid this confusion, it is usual to call the genus just mentioned genus Lemur, and 
all the other s Lemur-like animals,” and the Greek word efSos (like) being added the term lemuroida 
is burned. In scientific language, then, the creatures popularly called Lemurs are termed Lemuroida. 
Lither expression may be used, but if the familiar one is employed, it is necessary to remember that 
the word means other animals besides those of the genus Lemur. 
The Lemurs, using the popular term in its wide significance, can be distinguished from the 
Monkeys and all other animals at a glance. Very few travellers have the opportunity of observing 
