Page:Natural History (1848).djvu/44

34 continent, and afew more the East Indies. They do not generally exceed the size of a cat.

These pretty animals, the species of which are numerous, are confined to the great island of Madagascar, in which they may be considered as the representatives of the Monkeys. In appearance and economy they resemble these well-known animals, except in the head, which in form bears a strong likeness to that of a Fox. The dentition is as i! follows: inc. =; can. =; mol. — :=86: the lower incisors and canines are compressed, and point forwards; the upper canines are trenchant. Lars small: tail very long; fur woolly and soft; teats two, pectoral. They are rather less in size than a cat, are active, nimble, watchful animals ; cleanly in their habits, easily tamed, gentle and playful. Their voice is a shrill whistle, or a guttural grunting. Night seems to be the season of their activity; and lke many other nocturnal animals, the pupil of the eye contracts and expands strongly under stimulus or excitement. They eat fruit and insects.

The species differ little among themselves: we select to illustrate the genus, Lemur albifrons (.), the White-fronted Lemur, which has been kept in the Zoological Gardens, in the Regent’s Park. Its colour is reddish brown, but a band across the forehead, as well as the neck and interior surface of the arms is pure white. ‘* The bounding elasticity of this species,” says a naturalist, who kept a specimen in captivity, ‘‘ when familiar and quite at its ease, is wonderful. It pitches, after a leap