MO USE-LEMURS. 
219 
and yellower beneath; indeed, scarcely any two individuals are alike in these 
respects. 
The weasel-lemur, during its nocturnal rambles, is marvellously active, 
and is capable of taking tremendous leaps among the trees in which it dwells; 
its slender build and long limbs being admirably adapted for such a mode 
of progression. Like the gentle lemur, it subsists solely on leaves; and it is much 
sought after as an article of food by the natives of Madagascar, to whom it is known 
by the name of Fitili-ki. It is killed by being knocked on the head with a stick 
while curled up during the day in its nest of leaves, to which it has been tracked 
down at the end of its nocturnal excursions. 
The hoary-headed lemur ( L. caniceps ) is a closely allied species, chiefly dis¬ 
tinguished by having a minute rudimentary pair of front or incisor teeth in the 
upper jaw, but further characterised by the hoary grey of the hair on the crown 
of the head. 
The Mouse-Lemurs. 
Genus Chirogale. 
With the tiny creatures known as the mouse-lemurs, we come to the first of 
a group of two genera which differ from all the members of the lemur tribe in that 
the bones of the upper part of the ankle are enormously elongated, thus causing 
the whole foot to be much longer than in the preceding groups. 
The mouse-lemurs themselves are confined to Madagascar; and include the 
smallest of the lemurs, some of them being even inferior in size to a rat. They 
have long tails, and rather large ears, which are hairy at their base, and cannot be 
folded upon themselves. 
The most remarkable feature connected with the mouse-lemurs, and one for a 
knowledge of which we are indebted to the observations of Grandidier, is that 
they are in the habit of what is generally called hibernating, or remaining dormant 
for a portion of the year. But as their quiescent season is during the hottest and 
driest time, the term aestivation would be more appropriate. By no means all 
the mouse-lemurs thus hibernate; and we may fairly presume that the species in 
which this habit occurs are those dwelling in the more arid regions. To prepare for 
this protracted period of dormant energies, during which they maintain the heat of 
their bodies by the consumption of their own substance, the mouse-lemurs feed so 
vigorously that when the hot season arrives they are in an extremely fat and sleek 
condition. Curiously enough the great accumulation of fat which then takes place 
is mainly restricted to the region of the base of the tail; and when they retire at 
the close of the rainy season, during which food is extremely abundant, their 
tails are swollen to a prodigious size. The wasting process which goes on during 
hibernation leaves them, however, with their tails shrunk to a very small diameter. 
In order to make themselves comfortable during their long sleep, they follow the 
example of our own dormice, and prepare snug little nests of twigs and other 
substances; some of their habitations being described as marvels of neat construction. 
Their food is mainly of a vegetable nature; although this diet is largely supple¬ 
mented by insects, and even small birds are said not to come amiss.- Having 
