TEE GALAGOS . 
£37 
DEMIDOFFS GALAGO AND THE MOUSE GALAGO * 
The distinction between these kinds is not very definite, but they are inhabitants of the West Coast 
•of Africa, namely, Senegal, Calabar, and the Gaboon. The Rev. W. C. Thomson’s account in a letter to 
Mr. Murray of what he suspects to be really and truly G. DerniJ qffii and G. murinus is well worth quota- 
tion. “Young ones of both species were brought to us about this period of the year (July 26). Mr. Robb 
has a young specimen of the smaller species just now, and about this time last year I became possessed 
of one of the larger. It is a most interesting and amusing pet, not only quite tame, but manifesting 
strong attachment. I had it for about six weeks in my possession, when, unfortunately, both for mvself 
and it, it took a false leap into a water-canal and was drowned. It was a very epitome of zoology, of 
the size and colour of a large Rat ; it had the tail of a Squirrel, the facial outline of the Fox, the mem- 
branous ears of the Bat, the eyes and somewhat the manners of the 
Owl in its cool odd way of peering at objects, the long slender 
fingers of a lean old man, who habitually eats down his nails, and 
all the mirthfulness and agility of a diminutive Monkey. It hated 
its cage at night, but delighted to leap upon the bars of the chairs 
ranged purposely round the table for it. It could clear a horizontal 
distance of at least six feet at a leap; and whenever it fell, 
during its short apprenticeship it often did, and from 
heights too, it gave expression of its apparent chagrin by a rough 
sort of purring. It possessed a curious power of folding its mem- 
branous ears back upon themselves, and somewhat corrugating them 
at pleasure ; and it appeared to me that the palms of its hands and 
feet were endowed in some degree with the power of suction, such 
as the Walrus is said to possess in perfection. I have seen it 
maintain itself in positions where the mere lateral pressure of its 
limbs appeared to be inadequate for the purpose. I once applied it 
to the side of a cylindrical glass shade, of which it could not embrace 
so much as a third of the circumference, and sure enough it main- 
tained its position for some time, gradually sliding down until it gave way. The palm was very much 
depressed, always clean and glistening, surrounded by five papilliform growths, those near the roots of 
the fingers serving as points of opposition to them, the fingers never closing beyond the palm. Mr. 
Robb had one of your species (G. murinus) in his possession for a considerable while. It devoured 
as 
alarming 
EARS OF MAHOLI GALAGO, CONTRACTED 
AND OPEN. 
( Original after Murie.) 
Grasshoppers, and even the fierce Mantides (leaf insects), greedily, as well as Moths, little as it was; but 
I never saw my kind muster courage enough to attack a Grasshopper or Mantis, though nearly twice as 
large as Mr. Robb’s. No doubt mine would, by-and-by, have become less particular and more daring. 
The smaller species was very familiar, and used to run over people with perfect freedom. A 
favourite place of refuge was under his whisker, and between it and his shirt collar.” According to 
the same correspondent, the little ones breed in captivity, but never grow more than about three or four 
inches long in the body ; the larger kind, he says, within a year grow' to six or seven inches long, or 
equal to a big Rat. Their voices differ, the larger animal’s tone being lugubrious. He further says 
that the little creatures (G, murinus ?) are gregarious or social in their wild state, travelling in small 
companies, and inhabiting a common nest, one of which he himself got a glimpse of. He saw several 
individuals rush out of it as he passed, and it answered in its situation and description to the account 
he had received of them, which was, that they were built on suitable forks of trees, with a foundation 
of clay and superstructure of dried leaves. 
THE SENEGAL GALAGO, f 
This is interesting from being the earliest known species of true Galago, and also as apparently 
having the widest range of geographical distribution. It is but a very little larger than the full-grown 
31 
* Galago Demidojjii and Galago murinus. 
f Galago senegalensis. 
