Meaning of aye-aye | Babel Free

Definitions

The lemur Daubentonia madagascariensis, a solitary nocturnal quadruped found in Madagascar and remarkable for their long fingers, sharp nails, and rodent-like incisor teeth.

Equivalents

Examples

“The other of these aberrant forms is the cheiromys, or aye-aye, which, from the peculiar form⟳ of its two lower front teeth, has been ranged with the Rodentia. In the general character, however, it is essentially a lemur; […]”

“Of the other members of this group, the Aye Aye (Cheiromys), the Tarsier (Tarsius), the Propithecus, the Indri (Lichanotus), and the Cheirogaleus, are desiderata of which we can only hope⟳ to become⟳ possessed by the future exertions of zoologists who may obtain⟳ access to the countries in which they live⟳.”

“Refer⟳ the following to their respective orders and families:—anteater, ayeaye, canary, cinchilla, dodo, flamingo, flying fox, giraffe, hornbill, lyre bird, mole, paradise bird, porpoise, swift, walrus.”

“The true position of that very rare animal the Aye-aye, seems very doubtful, some naturalists placing it in the position which it occupies in this work⟳, and others, such as [Jan] [v]an der Hoeven, considering it to form⟳ a link⟳ between the monkeys and the rodent animals. […] It is probable that the natural food of the Aye-aye, like⟳ that of the preceding animals, is of a mixed character, and that it eats fruit and insects indiscriminately. In captivity it usually fed on boiled rice, which it picked up in minute portions, like⟳ Amine in the "Arabian Nights," using, however, its slender fingers in lieu of the celebrated bodkin with which she made her mock meal.”

“He does look⟳ a bit odd, what with those parachute ears and the round, mad, yellow, staring pop-eyes and the oversize forepaws hung so awkwardly close⟳ to his chest. He's named the aye-aye, which probably does not improve⟳ the image. But he's a lemur, hence a primate and a cousin to man. A resident of Madagascar, he is threatened with extinction; there are no more than 50 aye-ayes in all the world.”

CEFR level