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NATURAL HISTORY. 
The Monkey was fondled and nursed, and cleaned with great attention by its active little friend ; but 
corresponding kindness was not shown to the ship s fowls, whose tails it pulled unmeicifully. 
THE WHITE-FRONTED LEMUR.* 
This is easily known by its broad band of white fur encircling the forehead, cheeks, and ears, and 
contrasting with the black muzzle, which is long and compressed. It is restricted in its geographical 
range to Madagascar. 
Several of these White-fronted Lemurs have been brought to Europe from time to time, and have 
been kept in the Zoological Gardens. Their habits are simple enough. They often exhibit great 
vivacity, and are much given to leaping from one object to another, in which they are aided by the 
pad-like structures of the hands and feet. 
THE LEMUR OF MAYOTTE.f 
There is a kind of Lemur which lives in the island of Mayotte, one of the Comoro group between 
Madagascar and the mainland of Africa, and which is not found elsewhere. It is known as the Lemur 
Mayottensis, or the Lemur of Mayotte, and is remarkable for the strange valuation in the colour of its 
fur. Probably there are live different colours, which are peculiar to different individuals of this species, 
and they have all received different names. These are termed varieties. But of what are they varieties, 
and which is the animal whence they have varied % These questions cannot be answered; and there- 
fore this group of forms constitutes a species — a species really being a term which includes the sum of 
all the possible varieties of an animal. One of the varieties is the Black-fronted Lemur, which inhabits 
Madagascar itself, and as there is every probability that at one time the Comoro Islands were joined on 
to Madagascar, the existence of apparently different species, but really only varieties, can be explained. 
These animals live in companies composed of from six to twenty, in the virgin forests of Mayotte, 
and they may be seen in broad daylight or at night. They lead an arboreal life, but they occasionally 
come to the ground after fallen fruit. They are hunted with Bogs, and when closely pressed, they take 
refuge in the highest branches, look fixedly at their enemy, growl, and wave their tails. When they 
see the hunter they rush off and take prodigious leaps, and go into the very depths of the forest. 
Should one be wounded it will defend itself against the Bogs, and will even jump upon them and bite 
their ears. They are fond of fruit, and especially of the wild date, and they wander far and near in 
numbers seeking their favourite food. 
THE MONGOOSE LEMUR, OR WOOLLY MACACO.J 
The great naturalist Buffon had a Lemur sent to him as a present, which he kept as a pet for 
many years. At first it ran about the house, and was tame and full of fun, roaming here and there, 
and settling down before the fire like a common Cat. It was very good-natured, and became a great 
favourite; but with age came ill-temper, and it became cross and vicious; moreover, it was always 
making disturbances, so it had to be chained up. Having some ingenuity and perseverance, it managed 
to slip its chain now and then, and to escape. It made its way directly into the street, and used to 
visit a confectioner's shop, where it very quietly and systematically roamed in search of sweets, 
devouring all it could lay its hands on. If it could not get sweets it would take fruit, and was quite 
heedless regarding the price or the rarity of its desired treats. When it was known that it had 
escaped, if the shop-people had not already told Buffon, every one knew where it was to be caught, 
and a great trouble the catching was, for it got into corners, showed fight, and bit, and resisted being 
touched very decidedly. The cold, however, was its great enemy, and it always suffered much from it, 
and finally died from its effects. 
The Mongoose Lemur, as it is often called, has a long head, flat forehead, and large canine teeth. 
It is of a reddish-grey colour generally, the crown of the head, the face, and chin being black ; more- 
over, there is a streak of the same colour up the forehead, and across the crown. The cheeks and the 
side of the forehead are iron-grey, and this and its black nose distinguish it. 
* Lemur albifrons. 
f Lemur mayottensis. 
X Lemur mongoz. 
