The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-11-11
MEN AND MONKEYS.
THE DwARFs AND THE LEmuRS OF
MADAGASCAR.

A People Who Average Only Feet
Inches In Height Queer Little Anisiais
Which Are Considered Connecting Links
Between Monkeys and Lower Orders.
There are at least two distinct tribes
of Malagasy dwarfs, who are among
the smallest people in the world. The
Kimos average only feet inches IN
height. They are rather light in color.
have remarkably long arms and are
bold in defending their territory, using
spear and bow. OF pastoral habits, they
excel in certain haDdicrafts. Trey dwell
in the southern center of the island, at
a high elevation above the sea.
Even more monkeylike are the Be
hosy, who occupy a densely wooded
country among the hills of Bemaraha.
They jump from tree TO tree Just like
monkeys and are not easily followed.
inasmuch rs their territory Is exceed
ingly rocky. They are very tnid, and
il is said that they die of fright when
captured In the northern part of Mad
aeascar is the most remarkable natural
fortress i'll the world. 1t is occupied by
a tribe who call themselves the people
of the rocks. The fortress Is lofty
and precipitous rock, of enormous size,
LOCO feet high and eight square miles
in area. Its sides are so steep that II
cannot be climbed without artificial
means. Within it is hollow, and the
only entrance is by a subterranean
passage, portion Of which is so narrow
that only one person can pass at a time,
whilo on either side of the path Is deep
water.
There is plenty of room for explora-
tion and fresh discovery in Madagascar.
which is the third largest island III the
world. 1t is nearly four times the size
of England and Wales. having an area
of 230, 600 square miles. The most re-
markable animals found there are the
true lomurs, which exist nowhere else
in the world, though related forms oc-
cur in Africa and India. They are re-
garded by naturalists rs links connect
ing tho Monkeys With the lower mani
raIs. Thoro are abost 20 species, ana
the collection made by Dr.. ". L. Alb
bot eontGius enc that is entirely new
TO Ecis,:ca. The biggest are about three
feet lcnc.
Ono cf ti,e E.cst remarkable species Is
called the ''slzasteT' becsuse it is pure
white. and il pyirG about at night has
striking suo ghcstlike appearance.
Other kinds are black, with bands Of
yellow AID rod-in fact, they are very
striking looking animals Roughly
speaking, they are divided into two
groups-tho long tailed and the short
tailed. The latter do not survive cap
tivity for any length Of time, bu, the
long tailed ones have been brought to
Europe and have been induced to breec
in cages, especially peculiar ring tail
ed species.
There used to be lemu-s in North
America long ages before man appeared
on this continent Professor Cope, the
famous paleontologist, found the skull Of
one in Colorado few years ago BE
regards it as the most precious object IL
his great collection of fossilsL The skull
is not bigger than squirrels. Anato
mists classify animals by their teeth
more accurately than in any other way.
The Jaws Of this small lemur are pro-
vided with "a dentition so surprisingly
humanlike that one might actually i'm
agine the teeth to be those Of a minia-
ture man.
Ii is thought that the lemurs may
have originated ON the American conti-
nent and spread westward to Asia ovei
land route which has since disap-
peared. That is only speculative the
ory. 1t is practically certain that there
was anciently land connection between
Madagascar and Africa. a great geo
logical convulsion having separated the
island from the mainland, the lemurs IN
Madagascar found conditions favorable
for their survival, while elsewhere they
disappeared. Thus it comes about that
this strange group Of mammals is re-
stricted TO Madagascar today. They are
very monkeylike. In fact, they might
be called low down monkeys. They live
in trees and feed on fruits and insects.
The lemurs wandered about in fiocks.
BY means of their strong hind legs they
are able to leap from tree to tree dis
VI ttu lttN vi ~ luat Antl
look as if they were flying. Occasionally
they betake themselves TO the ground,
walking for short spaces erect and way
ing their arms over their heads in such
a way as TO present "a remarkable effect.
Toward nigktfall the forests resound
with their startled cries They eat the
eggs of birds when they can get them.
Though disposed by nature TO be shy,
they are quite harmless and tamable to
some extent in captivity.
At night the woods Of Madagascar
are vocal with the wailing cries of the
lemurs, which sound like the lamenta-
tions of human beings in distress. These
creatures have heads more foxlike than
monkeylike, with sharp muzzles and
large, expressive eyes. The smallest
species of lemur is about the size Of
big rat Another kind has white whisk-
ers, and yet another is provided with
a bushy tail, which in repose Is usually
rolled around the animals neck like q
POmforfar