JoAnne Billheimer, age 11, of Florence, S.C., for her question:

 WHAT IS AN AYE‑AYE?

Although his name often appears in crossword puzzles, the aye‑aye himself is rarely seen. He is related to the monkey‑type lemurs who live among the treetops on the faraway island of Madagascar. The furry fellow is about as big as a house cat, with a fluffy tail as long as his body. Two huge eyes gaze out from his little white face, and his big mousy ears are bare. His thick coat is dark brown, and there is a white bib under his chin.

The aye‑aye has long hands and feet, with delicate fingers to grab grubs, bugs and juicy fruits. One finger is extra long, and he uses it to preen and comb his coat. The people of Madagascar regard him as a spooky ghost. However, he is rather rare and only comes out at night, so he is seldom seen. Perhaps if the people had a chance to know him better, they would stop being scared of the harmless little aye‑aye.