Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Mammalia).djvu/39



This Order comprises Man, Monkeys, and Lemurs, aud therefore includes the most highly organized Mammalia. At the same time the Lemurs and some of the Monkeys are of comparatively low grade, and much inferior, at all events in development of brain, to Mammalia belonging to other orders.

The dentition throughout the order is heterodont (comprising incisors, canines, premolars, and molars) and diphyodont. There is a bony ring to the orbit, the clavicles are well developed, and the radius and ulna are distinct. There are usually 5 unguiculate digits to both the manus aud pes, but the pollex may be rudimentary or wanting. Either the pollex (thumb) or hallux (great toe) or both are opposable.

The members of this division are almost without exception arboreal.

The Primates are divided into two suborders. Many naturalists class the Lemurs as a distinct order, for reasons that will be noticed under Lemuroidea.

The suborders are thus distinguished:—

 