The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-12-09
MEN AND MONKEYS.
THE OWARFS AND THE LEMURS OF
MADAGASCAR.

There are at least two distinct tribes
of Malagasy dwarfs, who are among
the smallest people in the world. Inc
Kimos average only 3 feet inches IN
height. hey are rather light in color
have remarkably long arms and are
bold in defending their territory, using
smear and bow. Of pastoral habits, they
excel in certain handicrafts. They dwell
in the southern center of the island, at
a high elevation above the sea.
Even more monkeylike are the BE,
hosy, who occupy densely wooded
country among the hills OF Bemaraha.
They jump from tree to tree just Ike
monkeys and are not easily followed
inasmuch as their territory is exceed
ingly rocky. They are very tlmld' ana
it is said that they die Of fright when
captured. In the northern part OF Mao.
aeascar is the most remarkable natural
fortress in the world. It is occupied oy
3 tribe who call themselves the people
of the rocks. The fortress is lofty
and PERCEPTIONS rock, of enormous slze'
1000 feet high and eight square miles
in area. Its sides are so steep that u
cannot be climbed without ar'lncl"i
means. Within it is hollow, ana the
only entrance is by suDterraneah
massage, portion Of which IS SO mario"
that only one person can pass at time
While 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 i'll the
world. It is nearly four times the size
of England and Wales, having an area
Of $50, 900 square miles. The most re-
markabls animals found there are the
true lemurs, which exist nowhere else
in the world, though related forms oc-
cur in Africa and India. They are re-
garded by naturalists as links connect
ing the monkeys with the lower NAM
mails. There are about 20 species, and
the collection made by Dr.. ". E. Alb
bott contains one that is entirely new
to science. The biggest are about three
feet long.
One Of the most remarkable species is
called the "speeter" because it IS pure
white, and in going about at might has
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-the long tailed and the short
tailed. The latter do not survive cap
tivity for any length of time, but the
long tailed ones have been brought to
Europe and have been induced to breed
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. He
regards it as the most precious object IN
his great collection of fossils. 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 dentition so surprisingly
humanlike that one might actually I'M
agine the teeth to be those efs 2 snansasa
ture man.
It IS thought that the lemurs may
have originated on the American cent?
nent and spread westward to Asia over
a land route which has since disap-
peared. That is only a speculative the
ory. It is practically certain that there
was aociently 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 focks.
By means of their strong bind legs they
are able to leap from tree to tree dis
tances of ten feet or more, so that they
look as if they were flying. Occasionally
they betako 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 nightfall 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 Ioxlike than
with sharp muzzles and
large, expressive eyes. The smallest
species of lemur is about the size Of
big rat. Another kind has white whlsk-
ers, and yet another is provided with
a bushy tail, which il repose is usually
coiled around the animals neck like a
comforter.
Borrowing In India.
India is nation Of pawnshops, ac-
cording to General Booth. The people
think the cl9verest man is be who de-
vises the largest number Of ways by
which to borrow money. They put III
pledge their lands, oxen, jewelry, them
calras their children anG their grand