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Show 1879.] MR. G. A. SHAW ON THE HABITS OF LEMURS. 133 A forest extends along the whole eastern side of this province, fringing the tableland, and covering all the slopes down into the lowland bordering the sea; but nowhere in these forests have the Ring-tailed Lemurs been found. Their habitat in the south and south-west is among the rocks, over which they can easily travel, where it is impossible for the people, although bare-footed, to follow. An examination of their hands will show that they are preeminently adapted for this kind of locomotion. The palms are long, smooth, level, and leather-like; and enable the animal to find a firm footing on the slippery wet rocks, very much on the same principle as that which assists the fly to walk up a pane of glass. The thumbs on the hinder hands are very much smaller in proportion than in the Lemurs inhabiting the forests, which depend upon their grasping-power for their means of progression. These spring from tree to tree, and rarely if ever touch the ground, except in search of water. Hence the Ring-tailed Lemurs are an exception to the general habits of the Lemuridae, in that they are not arboreal. There are very few trees near their district; and those which do grow there are very stunted and bushy. These Lemurs are provided with two long canine teeth or fangs in the upper jaw, those of the male being considerably longer than those of the female. These they use to take away the outer coating of the fruit of the prickly pear, which is full of fine spines, and constitutes their chief article of winter food, and which grows abundantly in the crevices and around the foot of the rocks. Their summer food consists of different kinds of wild figs and bananas. Their fangs are doubtless used as weapons of self-defence, although when fighting I have noticed that they depend a great deal upon their hands, with which they scratch and strike. I have seen the male put a dog larger than itself to the rout in this way. They are very easily tamed, and in captivity will eat almost any kind of fruit, but do not like meat in any form. By a little care, they can be induced to feed upon cooked rice, upon which they thrive. In their natural state, they do not drink, as is proved not only from the native accounts, but also by the fact that for the first month or two after being caught, and while living on bananas, they do not drink. It is curious that all the species of Lemurs living on the west, including the two kinds of white Lemurs, appear to subsist without water; whilst all those on the east invariably drink at their meals. 2. THE BROAD-NOSED LEMUR1- This one was caught and chained up last January. It came from the higher-level forests on the eastern side of the Betsileo, among the bamboos, on which it appears in a great measure to subsist. Its teeth are different from those of any other kind of Lemur with which I am acquainted, lt has the few sharp outwardly inclined teeth in the lower jaw in the front common to all Lemurs, and which they use 1 [Hapalemur simus, Gray, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 828, pi. Iii.-P. L. S.] |