This introductory article sketches the history of tarsier research beginning with the first description of a tarsier in 1706, and continuing with early anatomical and embryological investigations in the middle and by the end of the 19th century. The first half of the 20th century produced a considerable number of more or less episodic studies often focusing on behavioral biology of (short-term) captive observations. A systematic collection of tarsiers in the 1940 s by Wharton, transported to the United States, and several tarsiers brought to Germany by Harrisson led to the first long-term field study in Borneo. This study investigated the functional anatomy of the skin, biometry and corresponding evolutionary interpretations, anatomy, and locomotion in Bornean tarsiers as well as many aspects of their behavior. It also recorded diseases and traumatological data and interpreted these with regard to fitness and the survival of the species. I close this abbreviated history of tarsier research before the last 20 yr with 2 studies, 1 on the physiology and evolution of brown adipose tissue and 1 on convergent evolution with owls.