WEASEL LEMUR. (After Schlegel and Pollen.)
WEASEL LEMUR. (After Schlegel and Pollen.)
Another Lemuroid excited the attention of the members of one of the political missions, which was sent from the island of the Mauritius to the capital of the Hovas, in mountainous Central Madagascar. This animal was found in some numbers in the bamboo forests, which skirt the hills at their base, and many were caught in that of Alamazaortra. It seemed to live in the masses of bamboo leaves, and to wander about them by night, sleeping and resting by day in the deepest part of the woods. It is small, and has a short muzzle and a round head, and a long tail, the prevailing colour being grey, with red tints here and there on the back and head, which are paler below. It is a variable species, and some individuals are more olive than grey, but all have such peculiar teeth that they can be distinguished from all others of the sub-order. They have upper and lower front teeth, but the upper set arevery small, and are so placed that the canine teeth hide the outer ones; besides this character there are four teats instead of two.
GREY OR BROAD-NOSED LEMUR. (After Schlegel and Pollen.)
GREY OR BROAD-NOSED LEMUR. (After Schlegel and Pollen.)
M. Pollen, a well-known naturalist, says that the natives of the north-west of Madagascar call it the Bokomboule, and in Europe it has been named the Grey or Broad-nosed Lemur, the genus being called Hapalemur, and hence its proper name ofHapalemur griseus. The word Hapalemur means Gentle Lemur (from ἁπαλός, soft, gentle), and this appears to be their character. Hearing of their presence in the bamboo forests, M. Pollen wished to go there to hunt them, but he was strongly urged not to do so on account of the fatigue of the sport, and the difficulties likely to arise from the spines, thorns, and sharp leaves, which readily produce wounds. He went, and after being well scratched and cut about, he returned with some specimens. The Hapalemurs sleep during the whole of the day rolled up, with the back curved, and the head between the thighs, the tail being curled over the back; but they are not so sleepy that they cannot escape from the hunter who seeks them. Idle enough by day, they exhibit a wonderful agility and disposition to romp and play at night. Their cry is like the grunt of a little Pig, and the greater part of their nourishment is derived from bamboo-leaves. One, which was kept by M. Pollen in captivity, ate bananas, but would touch rice only when it was half starved, and it had the strange propensity so often observed in some tame Monkeys of biting its tail.
The next group of the Lemuroids is that which has given the name to the whole sub-order.