. Three voyages of a naturalist, being an account of many little- known islands in three oceans visited by the "Valhalla," ; . using the long claw on theirwings as well as their feet, and hanging head down-wards. In the depth of the forest we came on a smallparty of lemurs,* which were feeding on the fruitof a densely foliaged tree. I shot one for identi-fication, but was unwilling to sacrifice more ofthese charming little creatures, which showed notthe slightest fear, but merely looked down at uswith their great black eyes, and uttered continuallytheir characteristic grunting noise. Whi
. Three voyages of a naturalist, being an account of many little- known islands in three oceans visited by the "Valhalla," ; . using the long claw on theirwings as well as their feet, and hanging head down-wards. In the depth of the forest we came on a smallparty of lemurs,* which were feeding on the fruitof a densely foliaged tree. I shot one for identi-fication, but was unwilling to sacrifice more ofthese charming little creatures, which showed notthe slightest fear, but merely looked down at uswith their great black eyes, and uttered continuallytheir characteristic grunting noise. While walking quietly along under the treeson the look-out for pigeons I surprised a familyparty of tenrecs, which were rooting amongst thedead leaves for insects. These creatures are muchlike large hedgehogs in appearance, but theirspines are much softer; moreover, they have thesame disagreeable stench as the fruit bats, andthose I brought on board were not favourablyreceived by my companions. In spite of its un-pleasant smeU the tenrec is used as an article offood in Madagascar, and is greatly appreciated * Lemtir O < <Q< o O ao K A WALKING FISH 91 by the natives. Possibly it has been introducedinto the Comoro Islands from Madagascar onaccount of its edible qualities. The natives of theComoro Islands also hold the lemur in great esteemas a delicacy, and they declare it to be, when young,quite as good eating as chicken. Lower down the hUl, amongst the sugar caneand other cultivated crops, were several species ofbirds, but most of these were without any doubtintroductions, and as such were not worthy ofnotice. Numbers of small swifts* were flying roundthe cocoanut palms near our landing place. Owingto its rapid flight this swift is very difficult to shoot?so that only one specimen was obtained. Thisone feU on a patch of bare ground which washoneycombed by the burrows of land-crabs ; beforeI could pick it up a crab, starting forward andseizing it, dragged it
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectvoyagesaroundtheworl
