GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS. 
201 
ancient Romans to such shades of the dead as were supposed to be of malignant 
propensities. It is somewhat curious that both these terms should have been 
introduced into zoological nomenclature; the former to denote the animals of the 
present group, while the latter is applied to the grub stage of insects. 
Altogether, there are somewhere about fifty species of lemur-like 
Distribution. . ® . ... J 1 
animals, of which the distribution presents some very remarkable 
features. In the first place, they are all restricted not only to the Old World, but 
also to the southern regions of the great land masses of that hemisphere, none of them 
being found to the northward of the tropic of Cancer, while the tropic of Capricorn 
very nearly limits their southward range. Within this area a few species are 
found respectively throughout the warmer regions of Africa, and in Southern India 
and Ceylon, while their eastern limits are marked by the island of Celebes and the 
Philippines. In all these regions the number of species is comparatively few, and 
they form but an unimportant element in the general fauna of the country. The 
case is, however, very different in the great island of Madagascar, which is the 
headquarters of the whole group. Plere we find them constituting no less than 
one-half the entire Mammalian fauna of the island, being represented by six 
genera, which include more than thirty species; most of the other Mammals 
being comparatively small forms, unknown either on the continent of Africa 
or in Asia. The true lemurs occur only in Madagascar, and it is very remark¬ 
able that all the species of the group found in that island scarcely show any 
closer relationship to those of the African mainland than they exhibit to those 
of Asia. So abundant, indeed, are lemurs in Madagascar, that, according to 
Monsieur Grandidier, who has done so much to increase our knowledge of this 
group, at least one individual is almost sure to be found in every little copse 
throughout the island. 
It will be evident that such a numerous population of helpless animals like 
lemurs could not exist in a land overrun with large carnivorous animals; and in the 
whole of Madagascar we find only a few civets and an allied creature known as 
the foussa. Now to account for these peculiar features—the absence of all large 
Carnivores, except civets, and the abundance of lemurs—we have to call in the aid 
of the geologist. He will tell us that lemur-like animals, accompanied by civet-like 
Carnivores, existed in England, France, and other parts of Europe during the early 
part of the Tertiary period. And we are accordingly led to conclude that the lemurs 
and civets of Madagascar obtained an entrance into that island, doubtless by way 
of Africa, at a time when that continent was still free from the presence of the large 
Carnivores and the host of hoofed mammals which now form such a dominant 
feature in its animal population. After the lemurs and civets had obtained an 
entrance into Madagascar that country became separated from the adjacent main¬ 
land, and it has remained as an island ever since. There, secure from molestation, 
the lemurs have attained a development unequalled at any time in any part of the 
globe, and afford us an admirable instance of the importance a group of animals 
may attain when living under favourable conditions. 
We have already said that many lemurs are essentially nocturnal 
Habits <j «/ 
creatures. To this we may add that they are all of essentially arboreal 
habits. Indeed, except when compelled to descend to the ground to obtain water, 
