THE LEMURS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6491, 10 April 1908, Page 3

THE LEMURS

The headquarters of this interesting group of mammals f may justly be said to be the Island of Madagascar, for out of aixty-eix mammals found on that island no fewer than half belong to the lemur family, and are peculiar to it. There is no doubt that Madagascar at some very remote period, was connected with the mainland of the African Continent, for though it resembles the mainland somewhat in the nature of its fauna, the separation and isolation have wen of such, long duration that peculiar species have evolved- This we see also in the birds of Madagascar, for of about 150 species of land birds 127 are peculiar to the island. Outside this region the lemurs are only represented by about fourteen, specie©, and most of these aberrent forms, found on the mainland of Africa and the islands of the Indian region, which possibly had land, connection with Africa at* pome time. The true lemurs, owing to their superficial resemblance to monkeys, were at one time classed among the primates, a group that included man and monkeys, the chief resemblance being in the thumbs and great toe, which can bo used for gripping, the thumb being opposite to the fingers in the same manner as the human hand. In general habits, too, they are very monkey-like j however, a closer anatomical examination of the group has resulted in. their being placed in a lower order of their own, immediately below the The- brain was found to be relatively emoUer, the orbits were not walled in at the back with bone, and a close examination of the eyes themselves bi'ought to light a great distinctive feature. The pupils of the eye© of man and monkeys are circular; there is always apparent a spot in the "fundus oculi," known as the macula, which is the seat of acute vision, and the sight of the primates is binocular, the eyes converging on to a single point. In the lemurs all these specialisations ate absent; the rmpil is oval, there is no trace of a macula, and binocular vision is impossible. Tor the most part lemurs are nocturnal in habit, and, like most nocturnal creatures, are endowed with very large, | staring eye®; in one of the Indian species, the Taraier, the eyes are so large -and so staring that the Tittle creature ic known as the "spectre" Tarsier, and, a® if to add to it© uncanny appearance, fingers and toes end in large lobated discs, no doubt to add to, its power of gripping, or rather sticking, to the boughs of the trees in the course of its leaping movements. The loris of Asia, of which there are two species, and the potto and the bear lemur of West Africa, belong to a small group known as the slow lemurs, so known, on account of their deliberate method of movement, in contradistinction to the activity of the other members of the family. The absence of their tails is not sufficient to account for this peculiarity of habit; for though the tails of most lemurs are long and remarkably fine, there is no prehensile powerrin them, as there is in the monkeys. The hands and feet of these four are modified into powerful grasping organs; in the case of the West African species the base of the digits are united by folds of skin, which would add to the firmness of the grip. Haacke says, in speaking of these aberrant forms; "The build of the body in these creatures harmonises with the character of their -movements, for none of them are active leapers, like most lemurs, but when night fall© steal noiselessly through the foliage with slow, but certain steps, with the object of catching insects, picking fruits, and surprising sleeping hirde. Hence the, necessity for a firm hold, for when the animal is seizing its booty it has to support itself steadily on three limb®. W© consequently find that the hands and feet of these stealthy nocturnal animal® are modified into tong-like grasping organs." With the lemurs of Madagascar, which represent the great bulk of the family, the hands and feet are well developed, and a fair tail is always present, this ; representing the normal condition or type of the group. In most case® the mother lemur carries her helpless youngsters about with her; the baby lemur holds on firmly with hands and wraps its tail around the body of the mother in a cross-wise position. In one species, at least, it is known that a proper nest is built, for the dwarf mouse lemur con timet a dwelling of twig, lined with hair, on the top of tall tree®, and these are used not only as resting places but aao also cradle© for the youngsters.