eo MAMMALS

which is very soft. The tail is long, and covered with
hair at the root and tip, while the middle portion of it is
nearly bare. The eyes are enormous, and, indeed, seem,
together with the equally large ears, to constitute the
greater part of the face, for the jaw and nose are very
small, and the latter is set in, like that of a pug dog,
almost at a right angle. The hind-limb at once
attracts attention from the great length of the tarsal
bones, and the hand is equally noticeable for its
length, the curious claws with which it is provided,
and the extraordinary disc-shaped palps on the
palmar surface of the fingers, which probably enable
the animal to retain its hold in almost any position. °
This weird-looking creature we were unable to keep
long in captivity, for we could not get it to eat the
cockroaches which were almost the only food with
which we could supply it. It remained still by day
in its darkened cage, but at night, especially if dis-
turbed, it would spring vertically upwards in an odd
mechanical manner, not unlike the hopping of a
flea. On the third day it found a grave in a pickle-
bottle.’

The aye-aye is quite as curious, with its rodent-
like incisors, its absence of tusks, and its attenuated
middle claw, with which it extracts from their
burrows the larve which are its natural food. In
appearance it is not unlike a cat with a large bushy
tail and rounded ears. ‘It is no wonder, says Mr.
Shaw, ‘that in connection with so curious an animal
a number of superstitious beliefs should be current
among the Betsimisaraka, in whose country the aye-
aye is principally found. In reference to its name,