[Illustration: LEMUR OR FOX-HEADED MONKEYS.]
Some very curious animals are found in the Lemur family. The Sloth
Monkeys, the Indris, the Aye-Ayes and the ugly big-eyed Tarsier, are all
related to the Lemurs, and some look more like fairy-tale monsters than
harmless, timid, little animals of the Monkey family.
What are known as the “Lemurs proper,” or the Fox-Headed Monkeys, are
the best known of this family. Their hair is thick, soft and woolly,
their ears short and velvety, and their tails long and bushy. They have
very large eyes, and queer hands with flattened nails.
Nearly all the different members of the Lemur family live in Madagascar
and the surrounding islands. They like to live in companies or troops
among the trees, and their food is mainly the fruits of these trees; but
they will also eagerly catch and devour insects. They are very sociable
animals, and like to collect in numerous bands; and they sleep in the
highest parts of the trees where no harm can come to them.
Carnivora—Flesh-Eating Quadrupeds.
[Illustration: SLOTH BEAR.]
THE Carnivorous animals form the largest and most powerful family of
Mammals that live on the land; and in this family are also included many
water Mammals. Although this extensive family contains animals that are
very different in size and form, yet they are all alike in their
flesh-eating habits, in possessing strong sharp claws, and three kinds
of teeth, the incisors, molars and canines; the latter being sharp and
powerful fangs used for seizing and holding their struggling prey.
Although the animals of this family are all flesh-eaters, and all prefer
this diet, there are some members that live partially on vegetable food,
especially when flesh diet is scarce, and this fact is sometimes used to
help divide the large family into smaller groups. There is also a great
difference in the manner of walking. Some of the animals place the
entire sole of the foot upon the ground, from the heel to the toes, so
that the soles of the feet are without hair; but the greater number have
their heel so much raised that they walk only on their toes; and in
these, the part corresponding to the sole is hairy (like that of the
cat) and is sometimes mistaken for the leg of the animal.
To the first of these divisions the term Plantigrade has been applied.
The word means stepping on the sole, and comes from planta, the sole;
and gradior, to step. To the latter division the name Digitigrade is
given, which means stepping on the toes, and comes from digitus, a
finger, or toe, and gradior, to step.
There is still another important division to this great family, known as
the Amphibious Carnivora, which includes the Seals, Sea-Lions, etc.,
which are capable of living both on the land and in the water.
This is the simplest and most easily remembered of all the divisions of
the great order of Carnivorous animals. Some Naturalists object to it as
not being clearly defined, and divide the Carnivora into six great
families. First the Mustelidae, or Weasel family; second, the Hyena
family; third, the Felidae, or Cat family; fourth, the Canidae, or Dog
family; fifth, the Viverridae or Civet family; and sixth the Ursidae or
Bear family.
These six families are then sub-divided into many smaller families, and
the Amphibia are grouped by themselves instead of being included among
the Carnivora—although they are flesh eaters, and this seems to be their
proper place.
For easy grouping we will cling to the old method of classifying all the
Carnivorous animals under the three main orders of Plantigrade,
Digitigrade, and Amphibious Carnivora.