Rock Island Argus., 1896-10-16
MEN AND MONKEYS.
THE DWARFS AND THE LEMURS Or
MADAGASCAR.

Inches In Height Queer Little Animals
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 III
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 III certain hapdicratts. They dwell
in the southern center OF the Island, at
q high elevation above the sea.
Even more monkeylike are the Be-
hosy, who occupy Il Gensely wooded
country among the hills of Bemaraha.
They jump from tree to tree just like
monkeys and are not easily followed,
inasmuch us their territory is exceed
ingly rocky. They are very timid, and
it is said that they die of fright when
captured In the northern part of Mad
aeascar is the most remarkable natural
fortress in the world. 1t is occupied by
a tribe who call themselves the people
-. d
and precipitous rock, OF enormous size,
1000 feet high and eight square miles
i'll area. Its sides are so steep that it
cannot be climbed without artificial
means. Within it is hollow, and the
only entrance is by subterranean
passage, portion of which is so narrow
that only one person can pass at time.
while Oh either side of the path is deep
water.
There is plenty of rocm for explora-
tiOn and fresh discovery il Madagascar,
which is the third largest island in the
world. 1t is nearly four times the size
Of England and Wales, having an area
Of 230, 900 square miles. The most re-
markable animals found there are the
true lemurs, which exist nowhere else
in the world, though related forms oc-
cur il Africa and India. They are re-
garded by naturalists rs links connect
ing the monkeys with the lower mani
mails. There are about 20 species, and
the collection made by DR.. W. L. Alb
bott contains ono that is entirely new
to science. The biggest are about three
feet long.
One of the most remarkable species is
called the "specter" because it is pure
white, and III going about at night has
Il striking and Ghostlike appearance.
Other kinds are black, with bands of
yellow and red-in fact, they are very
striking looking animals Roughly
speaking, they are divided into two
groups-tho long tailed and the short
fpIl Tbn lot al
tivity for any length Of time, but the
long tailed ones have been brought to
Europe and have been induced to breed
III cages, especially a peculiar ring tail
ed species.
There used to be lemurs in North
America long ages before man appeared
on this continent. Professor Cope, the
fanous paleontologist, found the skull ol
one i'll Colorado "a few years ago. He
regards it as the most precious object in
his great collection of fossils. The skull
is not bigger than u squirrels. Anato
lnists classify animals by their teeth
more accurately than in any other way.
The jaws of this small lemur are pro
vided with IL dentitiOn SO surprisingly
humanlile that one might actually I'M
agiDe the teeth to be those of minia
ture man.
1t il thought that the iemurs may
have originated on the American cont
nent and spread westward to Asia owe
u land route which has since disap
peared. That is only Il speculative the
ory. It is practically certain that Their
was anciently q land connection betwcel
madagascar and Africa. a great geo
logical convulsion having separated tn
island from the mainland, the lemurs il
Madagascar found conditions favorabl
for their survival, while elsewhere the
disappeared. Thus it comes about tina
this strange group of mammals is re
stricted to Madagascar today. They ar
very monkeylike. In fact, they NIGH
be called low down monkeys. They liv
in trees and feed OH fruits and insects
The lemurs wandered about in flocks
BY means of their strong hind legs the
are able 10 leap from tree to tree dis
tances of ten feet or more, so that the
look as if they were flying. OCCASIONAL
they betake themselves to the ground
walking for short spaces erect and wa,
ing their arms over their heads in sue
% way as 10 present remarkable effec'
Toward nightfall the forests resoun
with their startled cries. They eat tn
eggs of birds when they can get then
Though disposed by nature to be shy
they are quite harmless and tamable
some extent i'll captivity.
At night the woods Of Madagasca
are vocal with the wailing cries of tn
lemurs, which sound like the lamenta
tions of human beings i'll distress Thes
creatures have heads more foxlike tha
monkeylike, with sharp muzzlcs an
large, expressive eyes The smalles
species of lcmur is about the size Of
big rat. Another kind has white whist
ers, and yet another is provided wit
bushy tail, which in repose is usual
coiled around the animals neck like
comforter.
Borrowing In India.
Trl, % oS