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Show 134 MR. G. A. SHAW ON THE HABITS OF LEMURS. [Feb. 4, as scrapers, and not to bite with. Besides these, nearly all1 its teeth are serrated cutting-teeth, and are arranged, not in opposition, but so as mutually to intersect. In this respect it is admirably accommodated to suit the country in which it lives, as with the greatest facility it can bite off the young shoots of the bamboo, and mince up a whole handful of grass blades and stalks at once, each bite cutting clean, like a pair of scissors. Like very many grass-eating animals, it seems to feed nearly all day long. For several months I had this one chained on the lawn; and it scarcely ceased gathering the grass within its reach, and eating it, from morning till evening. It is also unlike other Lemurs in its dislike of fruit. I have tempted it with very many different kinds of berries and fruits growing in the forest; but it would not touch any of them. It is very fond of cooked meat, and also of sugar-cane ; and it was owing to its desire for sugar that it has been coaxed to eat cooked rice, which is now its staple food. It is furnished with a remarkably broad pad on each of the hinder thumbs, by means of which it is enabled to grasp firmly even the smoothest surfaces. Unlike most, other Lemurs, its head is very round, although the female has a somewhat more pointed snout than the specimen now in the Society's Gardens. Its cry is very peculiar, at times resembling the quack of a duck, at other times loud and piercing. Its tail is long, but not very bushy. 3. THE BROWN MOUSE-LEMUR2. (Plate IX.). This small and highly interesting animal was caught in November 1877, since which time it has lived in a small box, and has been allowed a little exercise about the room each night. It is nocturnal in its habits; and its food consists of fruits and possibly honey: of this there is abundance in the forests on the eastern side of Betsileo, from the lower parts of which the animal was brought. The specimen is full-grown, about seven or eight inches in length ; has a pointed snout and very prominent eyes, large ears, and round rat-like tail, which is not prehensile. It is of a brownish-grey colour, approaching to white on the underparts. Its four legs are almost equal in length, thus rendering it difficult for this Lemur to leap any considerable distance, as the majority of species can. It runs on all fours, but sits up to eat, holding its food in the fore hands. I fancy that in the winter months in its natural state it hibernates, because in the beginning of last winter (that is in June), after several nights' good exercise, during which time it had the opportunity of eating as much banana as it chose to take, I was astonished in the evening, on opening its box, to find it still asleep, and quite cold to the touch. At first I thought it was dead; but by holding it near to a fire and rubbing it, it gradually awoke, and when thoroughly warmed appeared none the worse in health. This happened two or three times, and without any apparent cause, as there was no ill health, nor was the weather particularly cold. From this fact, and from the sudden and unnatural enlargement of the 1 M y notes with these particulars have not yet arrived. 2 [This seems to be Chirogaleus milii, Geoffr.-P. L. S.] |