% - Se eS —— us THE ILLUSTRATED NATURAL HISTORY. JG! WOOD, M.A. F.LS. , AUTHOR OF “ ANECDOTES OF ANIMAL LIFE,” “ COMMON OBJECTS OF THE COUNTRY,” ’ “My FEATHERED FRIENDS,” ETC, ETC. WITH NEW DESIGNS BY WOLF, ZWECKER, WEIR, COLEMAN, HARVEY, ETC. ETC. ENGRAVED BY THE EROTHERS DALZIEL. MMOs oT. -MAMMALIA. REMINGTON KELLOGG LIBRARY OF MARINE MAMMALOGY SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION LONDON : ROUTLEDGE, WARNE, AND ROUTLEDGE, FARRINGDON STREET. NEW YORK: 56, WALKER STREET. LONDON: : PRINTED BY RICHARD CLAY, BREAD STREET HILL, 4 . * 1 o ~ _ ? Fs > » "Wine i t ' : : PREFACE. In the present Volume I have endeavoured to carry out, on a more extended scale, the principle which has been partially indicated in several of my smaller works ; namely, to present to the reader the outlines of zoologic knowledge in a form that shall be readily comprehended, while it is as intrinsically valuable as if it were couched in the most repellent vocabulary of conventional technicalities. In acting thus, an author must voluntarily abnegate the veneration which attaches itself to those who are the accre- dited possessors of abstruse learning, and must content himself with the satisfaction of having achieved the task which has been placed in his hands. In accordance with this principle, the technical language of scientific zoology has been carefully avoided, and English names have been employed wherever practicable in the place of Greek or Latin appellatives. The body of the work has been studiously preserved in a simple and readable form, and the more strictly scientific portions have been removed to the “Compendium of Generic Distinctions” at the end of the volume. In this Compendium the reader will find a brief notice of the various characteristics which are ‘employed by our best systematic naturalists, such as Owen, Gray, Van der Hoeven, and others, for the purpose of separating the different genera from each other; and by its-aid he will be enabled to place every animal in that position which it is at present supposed to occupy. Even in that Compendium simplicity of diction has been maintained. For example: the word “five-toed” has been substituted for “pentedactylous;” “pointed” for “acuminate ;” “ringed” for “annulate ;” together with innumerable similar instances which need no separate mention. Owing to the inordinate use of pseudo-classical phraseology, the fascinating study of animal life has been too long considered as a profession or a science restricted to a favoured few, and interdicted to the many until they have undergone a long apprentice- ship to its preliminary formule. So deeply rooted is this idea, that the popular notion of a sejentifie man is of one who possesses a fund of words, and not of one who has gathered vi PREFACE. a mass of ideas. There is really not the least reason why any one of ordinary capabilities and moderate memory should not be acquainted with the general outlines of zoology, and possess some knowledge of the representative animals, which serve as types of each group, tribe, or family ; for when relieved of the cumbersome diction with which it is embarrassed, the study of animal life can be brought within the comprehension of all who care to examine the myriad varieties of form and colour with which the Almighty clothes His living poems. The true object of Zoology is not, as some appear to fancy, to arrange, to number, and to ticket animals in a formal inventory, but to make the study an inquiry into the Life- nature, and not only an investigation of the lifeless organism. I must not, however, be understood to disparage the outward form, thing of clay though it be. For what wondrous clay it is, and how marvellous the continuous miracle by which the dust of earth is transmuted into the glowing colours and graceful forms which we most imperfectly endeavour to preserve after the soul has departed therefrom. It is a great thing to be acquainted with the material framework of any creature, but it is a far ereater to know something of the principle which gave animation to that structure. The former, indeed, is the consequence of the latter. The lion, for example, is not predacious because it possesses fangs, talons, strength, and activity; on the contrary, it possesses these qualities because its inmost nature is predacious, and it needs these appliances to enable it to carry out the innate principle of its being; so that the truest description of the lion is that which treats of the animating spirit, and not only of the outward form. In accordance with this principle, it has been my endeavour to make the work rather anecdotal and vital than merely anatomical and scientific. The object of a true zoologist is to search into the essential nature of every being, to investigate, according to his imdividual capacity, the reason why it should have been placed on earth, and to give his personal service to his Divine Master in developing that nature in the best manner and to the fullest extent. What do we know of Man from the dissecting room? Of Man, the warrior, the statesman, the poet, or the saint? In the lifeless corpse there are no records of the burning thoughts, the hopes, loves, and fears that once animated that now passive form, and which constituted the very essence of the being. Every nerve, fibre, and particle in the dead bodies of the king and the beggar, the poet and the boor, the saint and the sensualist, may be separately traced, and anatomically they shall all be alike, for neither of the individuals is there, and on the dissecting table lies only the cast-off attire that the spirit no longer needs. What can an artist learn even of the outward form of Man, if he lives only in the dissecting room, and studies the human frame merely through the medium of scalpel and scissors? He may, indeed, obtain an accurate muscular outline, but it will be an outline of a cold and rigid corpse, suggestive only of the charnel- house, and devoid of the soft and rounded form, the delicate tinting, and breathing grace PREFACE. vii which invest the living human frame. 1 FF ~ 7 . ay oy : , = - ‘A \Oeee a uP ui Ms mi “Diy i y WE Genes = hen ay) io ss. Delile iO al hist te 0§ Bat ‘ . ae reve! ine, > oll i a): zt ay, va vie raider J oe oe ~ aa of : . : i Aen ey | th or Ge . Sr 5 yr Ag OEE ait? ica 1m el ay f _ dts ‘a ih Ww yi Dvir - site, pt Py Pi: : : 7 we a; he : ae ; - iw a He - 4 1 oa. si an er a ee Ge 4 i toe aan iy: x vn i rH iv , » an u ie i Tt y , - ei Vy « mn air Pa 7 i MT | sith ia : - ‘i ot Ue ie : i sa ei a , Tas oy Sa i oa + AM 7 i a > i . ” ‘ey " in a7 oo y 7 ; ra. MS mah Hata Ae == ie ae fra), ¢ un 7 on Ve tr ta fay0 yp? ty - - ci) A wn us ie 7 gal ‘ae Ae io 4) ‘i ae Pe hh is ne : Hq _ 7 — 7 x _ 7 aan : ve: a i es tiie ni ‘oa ye ar a) ah i) oo, Tr ' i a ; A Z 4 aL > eat : : oy 5s ty q Moa Pat > » ’ 7 vv oe ery : 7 ; a = —— > 4 - ‘i. = ‘ ee _ 1 NT eet C0 tO) N, In order to understand any science rightly, it needs that the student should proceed to its contemplation in an orderly manner, arranging in his mind the various portions of which it is composed, and endeavouring, as far as possible, to follow that classification which best accords with nature. The result of any infringement of this rule is always a confusion of ideas, which is sure to lead to misapprehension. So, in the study of living beings, it is necessary to adhere to some determinate order, or the mind becomes bewildered among the countless myriads of living creatures that fill earth, air, and water. That some determinate order exists is evident to any thinking mind, but the discovery of the principle on which this order is founded is a problem that as yet has received but a partial solution. We already know some of the links of that wondrous chain that connects Man with the microscopic animalcule, but the one plan on which the Animal Kingdom is formed, has yet to be made known. It is impossible to contemplate the vast mass of animal life without the conviction that the most supreme harmony has been observed in their creation, and the most perfect order exists in their connexion one with the other. Whatever may be the key to this enigma,—and it is of a certainty a very simple one, possibly eluding us from its very simplicity—from the days of Aristotle to the present time zoologists have been diligently seeking for the true system of animated nature; and until that auspicious discovery be achieved, we must be content with making as near an approximation as possible. As a general arranges his army into its greater divisions, and each division into regiments and companies, so does the naturalist separate the host of living beings into greater and smaller groups. The present state of zoological science gives five as the number of divisions of which the animal kingdom is composed, the highest of which is that in which Man himself is, by some, placed. These are called Vertebrates, Molluscs, Articulates, Radiates, and Protozoa. Of each of these divisions a slhght description will be given, and each will be considered more at length in its own place. Ist. The VERTEBRATES include Man and all the Mammalia, the Birds, the Reptiles, and the Fish. The term Vertebrate is applied to them because they are furnished with a succession of bones called “vertebre,” running along the body and forming a support and protection to the neryous cord that connects the body with the brain by means of numerous branches The Vertebrates, with one or two known exceptions, have red blood and a muscular heart. 2d. The Mo.uusca, or soft-bodied animals, include the Cuttle-fish, the Snails, Slugs, Mussels, &c. Some of them possess shells, while others are entirely destitute of such defence. Their nervous system is arranged on a different plan from that of the Verte- brates. They have no definite brain, and no real spinal cord, but their nerves issue from certain masses of nervous substance technically called ganglia. 3d. The ARTICULATES, or jointed animals, form an enormously large division, com- prising the Crustaceans, such as the Crabs and Lobsters, the Insects, Spiders, Worms, and very many creatures so different from each other, that it is scarcely possible to find any B 2 VERTEBRATES. common characteristics. It is among these lower animals that the want of a true classification is most severely felt, and the present arrangement can only be considered as provisional. 4th. The next division, that of the RADIATED animals, is so named on account of the radiated or star-like form of the body, so well exhibited in the Star-fishes and the Sea- anemones. Their neryous system is very obscure, and in many instances so sheht as to baffle even the microscope. Many of the Radiates possess the faculty of giving out a phosphorescent light, and it is to these animals that the well-known luminosity of the sea is chiefly owing. 5th. The Prorozoa, or primitive animals, are, as far as we know, devoid of internal organs or external limbs, and in many of them the signs of life are so feeble, that they can scarcely be distinguished from vegetable germs. The Sponges and Infusorial Animal- cules are familar examples of this division. VERTEBRATES. The term Vertebrate is derived from the Latin word vertere, signifying to turn; and the various bones that are gathered round and defend the spinal cord are named vertebree, because they are capable of being moved upon each other in order to permit the animal to flex its body. Were the spinal cord to be defended by one long bone, the result would be that the entire trunk of the animal would be stiff, graceless, and exceedingly liable to injury from any sudden shock. In order, therefore, to give the body latitude of motion, and at the same time to afford effectual protection to the delicate nerve-cord, ou which the welfare of the entire structure depends, the bony spine is composed of a series of distinct pieces, varying in form and number according to the species of animal, each being affixed to its neighbour in such a manner as to permit the movement of one upon the other. The methods by which these vertebrae are connected with each other vary according to the amount of flexibility required by the animal of which they form a part. For example, the heavy elephant would find himself prostrate on the ground if his spine were composed of vertebrae as flexible as those of the snakes ; while the snake, if its spine were stiff as that of the elephant, would be unable to move from the spot where it happened to lie. But in all animals there is some power of movement in the spinal column, although in many creatures it is very trifling. Anatomy shows us that, in point of fact, the essential skeleton is composed of vertebrae, and that even the head is formed by the development of these wonderful bones. The limbs can but be considered as appendages, and in many Vertebrated animals, sueh as the common snake of our fields, the lamprey, and others, there are no true limbs at all. The perfect VERTEBRA consists of three principal portions. Firstly, there is a solid, bony mass, called the centre, which is the basis of the whole vertebra. From this centre springs an arch of bone, through which runs the spinal cord, and directly opposite to this arch a second arch springs, forming the guardian of the chief blood-vessel of the body. Each arch is called by a name significative of its use; those through which the spinal cord runs being termed the neural, or nerve arch, and that for the passage of the blood- vessel is named the heemal, or blood arch, There are other portions of the vertebree which are developed into the bones, called “ processes,” some of which we can feel by placing a hand on any part of the spine. It will be seen that, strictly speaking, the vertebree are not of so much importance in the animal as the spinal cord, of which the vertebree are but euardians, and that the division should rather have been defined by the character of the nerve than by that of the bone which is built around it. Indeed, wherever the chief nervous column lies, it seems to gather the bony particles, and to arrange them round itself as its clothing or armour, This may be seen in a very young chicken, if the egg in which it is formed is opened during the first few days of incubation. MAMMALIA. 3 The position of the spinal cord is always along the back in every Vertebrate animal The insects, the lobster, and other invertebrate animals exhibit the principal nerve-cords running along the abdomen ; the position, therefore, of the chief nervous cord settles the division to which the animal belongs. This rule is of great importance in classification, because in every group of animals there are some in whom the distinguishing character- isties are so slight that they hardly afford a real criterion by which to judge. In the lower divisions the number of these enigmatical animals is very considerable, and even in the highest of all, namely, the Vertebrates, there are one or two individuals whose position is but dubious. The best known of these creatures is the Aimphioxus, a small, transparent fish, not uncommon on sandy coasts. In this curious animal the vertebral column is composed of, or rather represented by, a jelly-like cord, on which the divisions of the vertebrie are indicated by very shght markings. The spinal cord les on the upper surface of this gelatinous substance, and there is no distinet brain, the nervous cord simply terminating in a rounded extremity. The blood is unlike that of the generality of Vertebrate animals, being transparent like water, instead of bearing the red hue that is so characteristic of their blood. Neither is there any separate heart, the circulation seeming to be effected by the contraction of the arteries. On account of these very ereat divergencies from the usual vertebrate characteristics, its claim to be numbered among the Vertebrates appears to be a very hopeless one. But the spinal cord is found to run along the back of the creature, and this one fact settles its position in the Animal Kingdom. It must be remembered that the Amphioxus is to be considered an exceptional being, and that when the anatomy of Vertebrate animals is described, the words “with the exception of the Amphioxus” must be supplied by the reader. The character of the nerves, bones, blood, and other structures, will be shown, in the course of the work, in connexion with the various animals of which they form a part. MAMMALIA. The Vertebrated animals fall naturally into four great classes, which are so clearly marked that, with the exception of a few singularly constructed creatures, such as the Lepidosiren, or Mud-fish of the Gambia, any vertebrate animal can be without difficulty referred to its proper class. These four classes are termed MAMMALS, Birbs, REPTILES, and Fisies,—their precedence in order being determined by the greater or less develop- ment of their structure. Manuals, or Mammalia, as they are called more scientifically, comprise Man, the Monkey tribes, the Bats, the Dogs and Cats, all the hoofed animals, the Whales and their allies, and other animals, amounting in number to some two thousand species, the last on the list being the Sloth. The name by which they are distinguished is derived from the Latin word mamma, a breast, and is given to them because all the species belonging to this class are furnished with a set of organs, called the MAMMARY GLANDS, secreting the liquid known as milk, by which the young are nourish dl. The number of the mamme varies much, as does their position. Many animals that produce only one, or at the most two, young at the same birth, have but two mammie, such as the monkey, the elephant, and others ; while some,—such as the cat, the dog, and the swine,—are furnished with a sufficient number of these organs to afford sustenance to their numerous progeny. Sometimes the mamme are placed on the breast, as in the monkey tribe ; sometimes by the hind legs, as in the cow and the horse; and sometimes, as in the swine, along the abdomen. , The glands that supply the mamme with milk lie under the skin, and by the microscope are easily resoivable into their component parts. Great numbers of tiny cells, or cellules, as they are named, are grouped together in little masses, something like bunches of minute grapes, and by means of very small tubes pour their secretions into vessels of a larger size. As the various tube-branches join each other they become larger, until they unite in five or six principal vessels, which are so constructed as to be B2 4. DESCRIPTION OF THE BLOOD. capable of enlargement according to the amount of liquid which they are called upon to hold. In some animals, such as the cow, these reservoirs are extremely large, being capable of containing at least a quart of milk. The reservoirs are much smaller towards the mamina itself, and serve as tubes for the conveyance of the milk into the mouth of the young. Of the milk itself we shall speak in another part of the work. The BLoop of the Vertebrate animals is of a light red colour when freshly drawn from the arteries. This wondrous fluid, in which is hidden the life principle that animates the being, is of a most complex structure, as may be imagined when it is remembered that all the parts of the body are formed from the blood; and there- fore to give a full description of that fluid would occupy more space than can be afforded to one subject. It is, however, so important a substance that it demands some notice. When it is freshly drawn, the blood appears to be of an uniform consistence, but if poured into a vessel and suffered to remain undisturbed it soon begins to change its aspect. A comparatively solid and curd-like mass, of a deep red colour, rises to the surface, and there forms a kind of cake, while the liquid on which it floats 1s limpid and almost colourless. The solid mass is called the clot, and the liquid is known by the name of serum. The whole time consumed in this curious process is about twenty minutes. While thus coagulating the blood gives out a peculiar odour, which, although far from powerful, can be perceived at some distance, and to many persons is inexpressibly revolting. The upper part of the clot is covered with a thick film of an elastic and tenacious nature, which can be washed free from the red colouring substance, and then appears of a yellowish white tint. It can be drawn out and spread between the fingers, as if it were an organic membrane ; and, as its particles arrange themselves into fibres, the substance is called fibrin. When a portion of fibrin is drawn out until it is much lengthened, the fibres are seen crossing each other in all directions, sometimes forming themselves into regular lines. The red mass, which remains after the fibrin and serum have been removed, is almost wholly composed of myriads of small rounded bodies, called corpuscules, which can be readily seen by spreading a drop of blood very thinly on glass, and examining it with a microscope. The general appearance of the blood corpuscules of man is seen in the accompanying illustration. Some of the disc-lke corpuscules are seen scattered about, while others have run together and adhered by their flat sides, until they look somewhat like rouleaux of coin. There is sufficient dis- tinction between the blood corpuscules of the-various Mammalia to indicate to a practised eye the kind of animal from which they were taken; while the blood of the four great divisions of the Vertebrates is so strongly marked, that a casual glance will detect the ownership of the object under the microscope. The BLOOD CORrUSCULES OF MAN. specimen represented above is magnified about two hundred diameters. The blood corpuscules of the Mammalia are cir- cular, while those of the other three divisions are more or less elliptical. That the blood contains within itself the various substances of which the body is composed, is evident to the intellect, although as yet no investigator has discovered the mode of its operation. How the blood corpuscules are generated from the vegetable and animal substances taken into the stomach, we know not; but we do know that each globule possesses life, passing through its regular stages of birth, development, age, and death. When yet in their first stages of existence, the blood corpuscules are colourless, not taking the well-known ruddy tint until they have attained their full development. The living current that passes through our bodies is truly a fathomless ocean of wonders! Even the material formation of this fluid is beyond our present sight, which cannot penetrate through the veil which conceals its mysteries. Much less can we explain the connexion of the blood with the mind, or know how it is that one thought will send the blood coursing through the frame THE CAPILLARY VESSELS. 5 with furious speed, crimsoning the face with hot blushes ; or another cause the vital fluid to recoil to the heart, leaving the countenance pallid, the eyes vacant, and the limbs cold and powerless, as if the very life had departed from the body. Not without reason do the earlier Scriptures speak so reverently of the blood, accepting the outpoured life of beasts as an atonement for the sin, and witness of the penitence of man, and forbid its use for any less sacred office. Nor was it without a still mightier meaning that the later Scriptures endue the blood with a sacramental sense, giving even to its vegetable symbol, the blood of the grape, a dignity greater than that of the former sacrifices. A few words must also be given to the mode by which the blood is kept continually running its appointed course through the animal frame. This process, commonly called CIRCULATION, takes place in the following manner, Man being an example :— In the centre of the breast lies the. heart, an organ composed of four chambers, the two upper being termed auricles, and the two lower being distinguished by the title of ventricles. These are only conventional terms, and do not express the office of the parts. The auricles are comparativel y slight in structure, but the ventricles are extremely powerful, and contract with great force, by means of a curiously spiral arrangement of the muscular fibres. These latter chambers are used for the purpose of propelling the blood through the body, while the auricles serve to receive the blood from these vessels, and to throw it into the ventricles when they are ready for it. By the systematic expansion and contraction of the heart-chambers, the blood is sent on its mission to all parts of the body, through vessels named arteries, gradually diminishing in diameter as they send forth their branches, until they terminate in branchlets scarcely so large as hairs, and which are therefore called “ capillaries,” from the Latin word capillus, a hair. The formation of the capillary system is well shown ims Di Ss tu/ CAPILLARIES IN SKIN OF CAPILLARIES OF HUMAN HUMAN FINGER. TONGUE. CAPILLARY. by the accompanying sketches. The first figure exhibits a portion of capillaries which are found in the fatty tissues, while the second and third are examples of the corre- sponding vessels in the finger and the tongue. In the capillaries the blood corpuscules would end their course, were they not met and welcomed by a second set of capillaries, which take up the wearied and weakened globules, carrying them off to the right-hand chambers of the heart, which impel them through vessels known by the name of “veins,” to be refreshed by the air which is supplied to them in the beautiful structure known as the lungs. Meeting there with fresh vitality—if it may so be called—the blood corpuscules throw off some of their effete portions, and so, brightened and strengthened, are again sent from the heart to run their round of existence. It is indeed a marvellous system, this constant circular movement, that seems to be inherent in the universe at large, as well as in the minute forms that inhabit a single orb. The planets roll through their appointed courses in the macrocosmal universe, us 6 RESPIRATION. the blood globules through the veins of the microcosm, man : each has its, individual life, while it is inseparably connected with its fellow-orbs, performing a special and yet a collective work in the vast body to which it belongs ; darkening and brightening im its alternate night and day until it has completed its career. an In order to prevent other organs from pressing on the heart, and so preventing it from playing freely, a membranous envelope, called from its office the “pericardium, swrounds the heart and guards it. , The various operations which are simultaneously conducted in our animal frame are so closely connected with each other that it is impossible to deseribe one of them without trenching upon the others. Thus, the system of the circulatory movement, by which the blood passes through the body, is intimately connected with the system of RESPIRATION, by which the blood is restored to the vigour needful for its many duties. In order to renew the worn-out blood, there must be some mode of carrying off its effete particles, and of supplying the waste with fresh nourishment. For this purpose the air must be brought into connexion with the blood without permitting its escape from the vessels in which it is confined. The mode by which this objeet is attained, in the Mammalia, is briefly as follows :— cS Wed AN A large tube, appropriately and popularly called the “windpipe,” leads from the bac’x of the mouth and nostrils into the imterior of the breast. Just as it enters the chest it divides into two large branches, each of which subdivides into innumerable smaller branchlets, thus forming two large masses, or lobes. In these lobes, or lungs, as they are called, the air-bearing tubes become exceedingly small, until at last they are but capillaries which convey air instead of blood, each tube terminating in a minute cell. The diameter of these cells is very small, the average being about the hundred and fiftieth of an inch, Among these air-bearing capillaries the blood-bearing capillaries are so intermingled that the air and blood are separated from each other only by membranes so delicate that the comparatively coarse substance of the blood cannot pass through, although the more ethereal gases can do so. So, by the presence of the air, the blood is renewed in vigour, and returns to its bright florid red, which had been lost in its course through the body, while the useless parts are rejected, and gathered into the air-tubes, from whence they are expelled by the breath. The accompanying illustrations will give a good idea of the capillary structure. Fig. I represents the air- tubes of the lungs, and fig. 2 ex- AT Te i re LUNGS. ieee THE LUNGS, hibits the capillaries through which the blood is conveyed. The heart is placed between the two lobes of the lungs, and is in a manner embraced by them. The lungs themselves are enclosed in a delicate membrane ealled the “pleura.” These two great vital organs are situated in the breast, and separated from the digestive and other systems by a partition, which is scientifically known by the name of “diaphragm,” and in popular language by the term “midriff” Tais structure does not exist in the Birds ; and its presence, together with that of the freely- suspended Jungs, is an unfailing characteristic of the Mammalian animal. ; Thus the entire structure bears the closest resemblance to a tree, growing with its root upwards and its leaves downward,—the trachea being the trunk, the branchial tubes the Fibs, the smaller tubes are the branches, and the air-cells the leaves: A similar idea runs through the nerve system and that of the blood; all three being interwoven with each other in a manner most marvellous and beautiful. ;. a BY) Save AY NUTRITION. 7 The ORGANS OF NUTRITION occupy the greater part of the space between the diaphragm and the lower limbs, and are composed of the following parts. The mouth receives and, in most cases, grinds the food until it is sufficiently soft to be passed onwards into the general receptacle, called the stomach. Here begins the process of digestion, which is chiefly carried on by means of a liquid called the gastric juice, which is secreted by glands within the stomach, and dissolves the food until it is of an uniform soft consistency. In this state the food is called “chyme,” and passes from the stomach into a tube called the “duodenum.” Here the chyme begins to separate into two portions ; one, an indigestible and useless mass, and the other, a creamy kind of liquid, ralled “chyle.’ The former of these substances is propelled through the long and rariously-formed tube, called the intestinal canal, and rejected at its outlet; while the chyle is taken up by numerous vessels that accompany the intestines, and is finally thrown into one of the large veins close by the heart, and there mixes with the blood. There is another curious system called the “lymphatic,” on account of the limpid appearance of the liquid which is conveyed through the lymphatic vessels. These are analogous to the lacteals, but imstead of be longing to the intestines, they are spread over the whole frame, being thic kly arranged just under the skin. They are curiously shaped, being studded with small knotty masses, and fitted with valves which keep the contained liquid in its proper course. Both the lacteal and lymphatic vessels pour their contents into one large trunk, called from its position the thoracic duct. This vessel is about twenty inches in length, and when distended, is in its widest part as large as a common lead pencil. All these wonderful forms and organs would, however, be but senseless masses of matter, differmg from each other by the arrangement of their component parts, but otherwise dead and useless. It needs that the being which is enshrined in this bodily form (whether it be man or beast) should be able to move the frame at will, and to receive sensations from the outer world. More than this. As all vertebrated animals are forced at short intervals to yield their wearied bodies to repose, and to sink their exhausted minds in the temporary oblivion of sleep, there must of necessity be a provision for carrying on the vital functions without the active co-operation of the mind. Were it otherwise, the first slumber of every being would become its death-sleep, and all the higher classes of animals would be extirpated in a few days. The mind would be always on the stretch to keep the heart to its constant and necessary work ; to watch the play of the lungs in regenerating the blood; to aid the stomach in digesting the food, and the intestinal canal in sifting its contents ; together with many other duties of a character quite as important. Supposing such a state of things to be possible, and to be put in practice for one single hour, how terrible would be the result to humanity! We should at once decenerate into a mass of separate, selfish individuals, each thinking only of himself, and foreed to cive the whole of his intellectual powers to the one object of keeping the animal frame in motion. Society would vanish, arts cease from the face of the earth, and the whole occupation of man would be confined to living an isolated and almost vegetable life. This being the case with man, the results to the lower portions of the animal kingdom would be still more terrible. For their intellect is infinitely below that of the dullest of the human race, and they would not even possess the knowledge that any active exertion would be necessary to preserve their lives. And for all living beings the wandering of the mind but for a few seconds would cause instantaneous death. All these difficulties are removed, and the animal kingdom preserved and. vivified, by means of certain vital organs, known by the name of nerves. Tt is clear enough that mind does not act directly upon the muscles and the various organs of the material body, but requires a third and intermediate substance, by which it is enabled to convey its mandates and to receive information. The necessarily multitudinous channels through which this substance is conveyed are called “ nerves,” and are of a consistency more delicate than that of any other portions of the animal 8 SENSATION. frame. There is a rather striking and close analogy between the mode in which the three systems of mind, nerve, and muscle act together, and the working of a steam- engine. In the engine we may take the fire as the analogue of the mind ; the water, of the nervous substance—the water-tubes representing the nerves; and the iron and brass machine as the representative of the bone and muscle. Thus we may make as large a fire as we like, heap on coals, and urge a fierce draught of air through the furnace, until the grate is filled with a mass of glowing white-hot matter. But the fire cannot act on the wheels without the intermediate substance, the water. This medium being supplied, the fire acts on the water, and the water on the metallic bars and wheels, so that the three become one harmonious whole. The great nerve mass, called by the name of “ brain,” is the general source of all the nerve-cords that supply the body with vital energy, and seems to be the nerve-heart, so to speak. From the brain, a cord of nervous matter, called the “spinal cord,” runs along the back, under the guardian- ship of the vertebra, continually giving off branches of various sizes, according to the work which they have to fulfil. These branches ramify into smaller twigs, subdividing until EL pera Aa they become so small that they almost even baffle the micro- scope. A familiar proof may be given of the wonderfully minute subdivision of the nerves, by trying to probe the skin with the point of a fine needle, and to discover any spot so small that the needle-point does not meet with a nerve. The cause of the peculiarly delicate sensibility of the finger tips is shown by the accompanying engraving, which exhibits the mode in which the nerve-loops are distributed. The object is greatly magnified, the two ridges being the enlarged representations of the minute raised lines which appear on the tips of the fingers and thumbs. That the nerves all find their way to the brain \ and issue from thence, is plainly shown by the ee ey eEn nine. well-known fact that if the spinal cord be injured all sensation ceases in the parts of the body that lie below the injury. And it is possible to deprive any limb of sensation by dividing the chief nerve that supplies that member with nerve-fibres. There seem to be two sets of nerves for the two purposes of conveying motive power to the body and of bringing to the nervous centres the sensations of pain or pleasure felt by any part of the body. These are appropriately known as nerves of motion and nerves of sensation. Connected with these nerves is a second system of a very curious nature, known by the name of the “sympathetic nerve.” The greater portion of the sympathetic nerve in the human frame “communicates with the other nerves immediately at their exit from the cranium and vertebral canal. It is called the ganglionic nerve, from being constituted of a number of ganglia, and from the constant disposition which it evinces in its distribution to communicate and form small knots or ganglia.”* It is wonderfully interwoven with the vital organs, and from this disposition it is sometimes termed the “organic nerve.” Its functions are closely connected with the phenomena of organic life, and it seems to be especially sensitive to emotional disturbances. There are several aggregations of the ganglia in various portions of the body; the largest, which is known by the name of the “solar plexus,” is placed in the pit of the stomach *or “epigastrium.” Its importance may be easily inferred from the extreme agony that is caused by the slightest blow near the region of that group of ganglia. A concussion that would hardly be felt wpon any other portion of the body, will, if it takes place on the epigastrium, at once cause the injured person to fall as if shot, * Wilson, STRUCTURE OF BONE. 9 bring on collapse, deprive him of breath for some time, and leave him gasping and speechless on the ground; while a tolerably severe blow in that region causes instantaneous death. Anxiety seems to fix its gnawing teeth chiefly in the solar plexus, causing indigestion and many other similar maladies, and deranging the system so thoroughly that even after the exciting cause is removed the effects are painfully evident for many a sad year. By means of this complicated system of nerves the entire body, with its vital organs, is permeated in every part by the animating power that gives vitality and energy to the frame so long as the spirit abides therein. This is the portion of the nervous system that never slumbers nor sleeps, knowing no rest, and never ceasing from its labours until the time comes when the spirit finally withdraws from the material temple in which it has been enshrined. It is the very citadel of the nerve forces, and is the last’ stronghold that yields to the conquering powers of death and decay. Thus it will be seen that each animal is a complex of many animals, interwoven with each other, and mutually aiding each other. In the human body there is, for example, the nerve-man, which has just been described ; there is a blood-man, which, if separated from the other part of the body, is found to present a human form, perfect in proportions, and composed of large trunk-vessels, dividing into smaller branches, until they terminate in their capillaries. A rough preparation of the blood-being may be made by filling the vessels with wax, and dissolving away the remaining substances, thus leaving a waxen model of the arteries and veins with their larger capillaries. Again, there is the fibrous and muscular man, composed of forms more massive and solid than those which we have already examined. Lastly, there is the bone-man, which is the least developed of the human images, and which, when stripped of the softer coverings, stands dense, dry, and lifeless ;—the grim scaffolding of the human edifice. Although the bones are not in themselves very pleasing objects, yet their mode of arrangement, their adaptation to the wants of the animal whose frame they support, and the beautiful mechanism of their construction, as revealed by the microscope, give a spirit and a life, even to the study of dry bones. The accompanying illustration represents the appearance of a transverse section of human bone, as seen under a tolerably powerful microscope. The larger hollows are caused by the minute blood-vessels which penetrate the bone throughout its substance, and serve to deposit new particles, and to remove those whose work is over. They are, in fact, a kind of lungs of the bones, through which the osseous system is regenerated in a manner analogous to the respiration which regenerates the blood. In order to supply a sufficient volume of blood to these various vessels, several trunk vessels enter the bones at different parts of their form, and ramify out into innumerable branchlets, which again separate into the hair-like vessels that pass through the above-mentioned ‘canals. These are termed, from their discoverer, C. Havers, the Haversian canals, and their shape and comparative size are most important in deter- mining the class of beings which furnished the portion of bone under examination. In the human bone these canals run so uniformly, that their cut diameters always afford a roundish outline. But in the bird-bone, the Haversian canals frequently turn off abruptly from their course, and running for a short distance at right angles, again dip and resume their former direction. The reptiles possess very few Haversian canals, which, when they exist, are extremely large, and devoid of that beautiful regularity which is so conspicuous in the mamumalia, and to a degree in the birds. SECTION OF HUMAN BONE 10 THE TEACHINGS OF SCIENCE. The tish-bone is often totally destitute of these canals, while, in other cases, the bone is thickly pierced with them, and exhibits also a number of minute tubes, white and delicate, as if made of ivory. Returning to the human bone, the Haversian canals are seen to be surrounded with a number of concentric bony rings, varying much in number and shape, on which are placed sundry little black objects that somewhat resemble ants or similar insects. These latter objects are known by the name of bone-cells ; and the little dark lines that radiate from them are the indications of very minute tubes, the number and comparative dimensions of which are extremely various in different animals. Thus, it will be seen, how easily the observer can, in a minute fragment of bone, though hardly larger than a midge’s wing, read the class of animal of whose framework it once formed a part, as decisively as if the former owner were present to claim his property ; for each particle of every animal is imbued with the nature of the whole being. The life-character is enshrined in and written upon every sanguine dise that rolls through the veins; is manifested in every fibre and nervelet that gives energy and force to the. breathing and active body ; and is stereotyped wpon each bony atom that forms part of its skeleton framework, Whoever reads these hieroglyphs rightly is truly a poet and a prophet; for to him the “valley of dry bones” becomes a vision of death passed away, and a prevision of a resurrection and a life to come. As he gazes upon the vast multitude of dead, sapless memorials of beings long since perished, ce ‘there j is a shaking, and the bones come together’ onee again ; their’ fleshly clothing is restored to them; the vital fluid courses through their bodies ; the spirit of life is breathed into them ; “ and they live, and stand upon their feet.” Ages upon ages roll back their tides, and once more the vast reptile epoch reigns on earth. The huge saurians shake the ground with their heavy tread, wallow in the slimy ooze, or glide sinuous through the waters ; while w inged reptiles flap their course through the miasmatie vapours that hang dank and heavy over the marshy world. As with them, so shall it be with us,—an inevitable progression towards higher stages of existence, the effete and undeveloped beings passing away to make room for new, and loftier, and more perfect creations. What is the volume that has thus recorded the chronicles of an age so long past, and prophecies of as far distant a future? Simply a little fr agment of mouldering bone, tossed aside contemptuously by the careless labourer as miners’ “yubbish.” S Not only is the past history of each being written in every particle of which its material frame is constructed, but the past records of the universe to which it belongs, and a prediction of its future. God can make no one thing that is not universal in its teachings, if we would only be so taught ; if not, the fault is with the pupils, not with the Teacher. He writes his ever-living words in all the works of his hand ; He spreads this ample book before us, always ready to teach, if we will only learn. We walk in the midst of miracles with closed eyes and stopped ears, dazzled and bewildered with the Light, fearful and distrustful of the Word! It is not enough to accumulate facts as misers gather coins, and then to put them away on our bookshelves, guarded by the bars and bolts of technical phraseology. As coins, the facts must be circulated, and given to the public for their use. It is no matter of wonder that the generality of readers recoil from works on the natural sciences, and look upon them as mere collections of tedious names, irksome to read, unmanageable of utterance, and impossible to remember, Our scientific lbraries are filled with facts, dead, hard, dry, and material as the fossil bones that fill the sealed and caverned libraries of the past. But true science will breathe life into that dead mass, and fill the study of zoology with poetry and spirit. QUADRUMANA ; OR, THE MONKEY TRIBE. THE QUADRUMANOUS, or Four-handed animals, are famiharly known by the titles of Apes, Baboons, and Monkeys. There is another family of Quadrumana, called Lemurs, which bear but little external resemblance to their more man-like relations, are com- paratively little known, and have even been popularly termed “rats,” “cats,” or “dogs,” by travellers who have come in contact with them. 12 HANDS AND PAWS. With the exception of a few small species, such as the marmosets and the lemurs, the Quadrumana are not very pleasing animals in aspect or habits; while the larger apes and baboons are positively disgusting. The air of grotesque humanity that characterises them is horribly suggestive of human idiocy; and we approach an imprisoned baboon with much the same feeling of repugnance that would be excited by a debased and brutal maniac. This aversion seems to be caused not so much by the resemblance that the ape bears to man, but by the horror lest man should degenerate until he resembled the ape. It is true that the naturalist learns to see wonder or beauty in all things of nature, and therefore looks with lively interest on such animals as the shark, the toad, the viper, the vulture, the hyena, or the ape. But still, these creatures are less pleasing in his sight than many others which may be not so highly developed; and in truth there are few who, if the choice lay between the two fates, would not prefer to suffer from the fangs and claws of the lion, than from the teeth and hands of the ape. Although these animals are capable of assuming a partially erect position, yet their habitual attitude is on all fours, like the generality of the mammalia. Even the most accomplished ape is but a bad walker when he discards the use of his two upper limbs, and trusts for support and progression to the hinder legs only. There are many dogs which can walk, after the biped manner, with a firmer step and a more assured demeanour than the apes, although they do not so closely resemble the human figure. We are all familiar with the small monkeys that are led about the streets in company with a barrel-organ, or seated, in equestrian fashion, upon a bear or dog. These poor little creatures have been trained to stand upon their hind feet, and to shuttle along at a slow and awkward pace. But if they are startled, and so forget for a moment their acquired art, or if they wish to hurry their pace, they drop down on all fours, and seamper off with an air of easy comfort that contrasts forcibly with their former con- strained and vaccillating hobble. The difficulty seems to increase almost proportionately with the size of the animal, and the largest apes, such as the orang-outan, are forced to balance themselves with outstretched arms. However carefully a monkey may be eductaed, yet it never can assume an attitude truly erect, like that of man. The construction of its whole frame is such, that its knees are always bent more or less, so that a firm and steady step is rendered impossible. When in the enjoyment of liberty among their native haunts, none of the monkey tribes seem to use their hind legs exclusively for walking, although they often raise themselves in a manner similar to that of the bears, and other animals, when they wish to take a more extended view of the surrounding localities. On account of the structure of the limbs, the term “hand” is given to their extremi- ties ; but hardly with perfect fitness. It must be borne in mind that the thumb is not invariably found on the fore extremities of these animals. In several genera of the monkeys, the fore-paws are destitute of effective thumbs, and the hand-like grasp is limited to the hinder feet. The so-called hands of the monkey tribes will not bear comparison with those of man. Although the thumb possesses great freedom of motion, and can be opposed to the fingers in a manner resembling the hand of man, yet there is no intellectual power in the monkey hand ; none of that characteristic contour which speaks of the glorious human soul so strongly, that an artist can sketch a single hand, and in that one member exhibit the individuality of its owner! The monkey's “hand” is a paw—a thieving, crafty, slinking paw, and not a true hand. So is his foot but a paw, and not a true foot, formed for grasping and not for walking. Man seems to be the only earthly being that possesses true feet and hands. Some animals patter along upon their paws, some trot and gallop upon hoofs, others propel themselves with paddles ; but Man alone can walk. Man is never so much Man as when erect, whether standing or walking. It is no mere figure of speech to say that man walks with God. In order to bring this point more clearly before the eyes of the reader, the skeleton of a man is contrasted with that of the gorilla, the most highly organized of all the apes. The heavy, ill-balanced form of the ape; its head sunk upon its shoulders ; its long, uncouth arms, with those enormous paws at their extremities; its short, bowed, and tottering legs, unable to support the huge body without the help of the arms; the massive MEN AND APES. 13 SKELETON—MAN. SKELETON—GORILLA. jaw-bones and protruding face, put the ereature at an unappreciable distance from humanity, even though it is represented in an attitude as similar to that of the human being as the organization of the bones will permit. Any one who could fancy himself to be descended, however remotely, from such a being, is welcome to his ancestry. Contrast with the skeleton of the gorilla, that of man. Light in structure, and perfectly balanced on the small and delicate feet ; the slender arms, with their characteristic hands ; the smooth and rounded skull; the small jaw-bones and regular teeth, all show themselves as the framework of a being whose strength is to le in his intellect, and not in the mere brute power of bone and muscle. There seems to be a strange eloquence in form, which speaks at once to the heart in language that can only be felt, and is beyond the power of analysis to resolve. Thus, the contrasted shapes of these two frames speak more forcibly of the immeasurable distance between the two beings of which they form a part, than could be expressed in many pages of careful description. Strength for strength, the ape is many times the man’s superior, and could rend him to pieces in single combat. But that slender human frame can be so intellectually strengthened, that a single man could destroy a troop of apes, if he so desired, and without offering them the possibility of resistance. One great cause of the awkward bipedal walk of the monkey tribes, is the position of the orifice in the skull, through which the spinal cord enters the brain. In the human skull this orifice is so placed that the head is nearly equally balanced, and a considerable portion of the skull projects behind it; but in the lower animals, this ovifice—called the I+ HANNO'S VOYAGE. “occipital foramen ”-—is set so far back, that the whole weight of the brain and skull is thrown forwards, and so overbalances the body. Another cause is seen in the structure of the hind limbs. These members are intended for progression among the branches of trees, and are so formed that, when the animal uses them for terrestrial locomotion, it is forced to tread, not upon their soles, but upon their sides, The muscular calves, which brace the foot and limb, are wanting in the Quadru- manous animals ; and even when they are standing as uprightly as possible, the knees are always partially bent. The monkeys, then, are just quadrupeds, although their paws are more pertectly developed than those of the generality of animals. We will now proceed to our example of the Quadrumanous animals. SIMIAD, OR APES The Apes are at once distinguished from the other Quadrumana by the absence of those cheek-pouches which are so ‘usefully employed as temporary larders by those monkeys which possess them; by the total want of tails, and of those callosities on the Rees quarters which are so conspicuously characteristic of the baboons. Besides these ex- ternal differences there are several distinctions to be found in the interior anatomy both of the bones and the vital organs. The first in order, as well as the largest of the Apes, is the enormous ape from Western Africa, the Gorilla, the skeleton of which has already been given. This animal is com- paratively new to modern zoologists, and very little is at present known of its habits. The first modern writer who brought the Gorilla before the notice of the public, seems to be Mx. Bowdich, the well-known “African trav eller; for it is evidently of the Gorilla that he speaks under the name of Ingheena. The natives of the Gaboon and its vicinity use the name Gina, when mentioning the Gorilla. The many tales, too, that are told of the habits, the gigantic strength, and the general appearance of the Ingheena, are precisely those which are attributed to the Gorilla. Of the Ingheena, Mrs. Lee (formerly Mrs. Bowdich) speaks as follows:—“It is in equatorial Africa that the most powerful of all the Quadrumana live, far exceeding the orang-outan, and even the pongo of Borneo. “ My. Bowdich and myself were’the first to revive and confirm a long-forgotten and vague report of the existence of such a creature, and many thought that, as we ourselves lad not seen it, we had been deceived by the natives. They assured us that these huge creatures walk constantly on their hind feet, and never yet were taken alive; that they watch the actions of men, and imitate them as nearly as possible. Like the ivory hunters, they pick up the fallen tusks of elephants, but not knowing where to deposit them, they carry their burdens about until they themselves drop, and even die from fatigue ; that they built huts nearly in the shape of those of men, but live on the out- side ; and that when one of their children dies, the mother carries it in her arms until it falls to pieces ; that one blow of their paw will kill a man, and that nothing can exceed their ferocity.” Its existence was evidently known to some adventurous voyagers more than two thousand years ago, and a record has pee preserved of these trav els. Somewhere about the year 350 B.c, the Carthaginians, then a most powerful and flourishing nation, organized a naval orien for the purpose of examining the coasts and of founding colonies. The command of the fleet, which consisted of sixty large vessels containing nearly thirty thousand men and women, together with provisions and other necessaries, was entrusted to Hanno, who wrote memoirs of the voyage in a small work that is well known by the title of the “ Periplus,” or the Circumnavigation of Hanno. In the course of this voyage he founded seven colonies, and after advancing as far as the modern Sierra Leone, was forced to return for want of provisions. The whole treatise is one of great interest, especially in the present day, when travels of discovery in Africa have been - prosecuted with so much energy. The passage, however, which bears on the present question is briefly as follows. After narrating the meeting THE GORILLA. 15 with these creatures on an island off the west coast of Africa, he proceeds to say :—* There were many more females than males, all equally covered with hair on all parts of the body. The interpreters called them GorrtLLAs. On pursuing them we could not succeed in taking a sinele male; they all escaped with astonishing swiftness, and threw stones at us; but we took three females, who defended themselves with so much violence that we were obliged to kill them, but we brought their skins stuffed with straw to Carthage.” It is evident that Hanno (or Annon, as his name is sometimes given) considered these GORILLA.—Troglocyles Gorilla. Gorillas to be the veritable savage human inhabitants of the island; perhaps rather more savage and powerful than ordinary, and rather less given to clothing; which latter deficiency, however, was supplied by the natural covering of hair. Imperfect as is his description, yet it is of much interest, as it proves the existence of extraordinarily huge apes hitherto unknown even to the Carthaginians, the stuffed skins being visible tests. For two thousand years nothing was heard of the Gorilla except certain floating rumours of satyr-haunted woods, and of wild men who used to make their appearance at 16 HABITS OF THE GORILLA. distant intervals and then to disappear; “of which kind,” it is said, “there are still in Ethiopia.” But by degrees the truthfulness of the narrative was made clear ; detached bones were discovered and sent to Europe, and at last the complete animal made its appearance. Indeed, we are much indebted to this straightforward and simple- minded sailor, for his unadorned narrative, which forms such a favourable contrast to the travellers’ tales of later voyagers, who on some small substratum of truth raised such enormous fictions as the monopods, the pigmies and cranes, the acephali, and other prodigies. For a vivid description, and graphic though rude figures of these and many other monsters, the reader is referred to the “ Nuremberg Chronicle.” Perhaps it may be of this animal that the following history i is narrated :— “A certain ape after a shipwreck, swimming to land, was seen by a countryman, and thinking him to be a man in the water, gave him his hand to save him, yet in the mean- time asked him what countryman he was, who answered he was an Athenian. ‘Well,’ said the man, ‘dost thou know Pireus 2’ (which i is a port in Athens). « «Very well,’ said the ape, ‘and his wife, friends, and children ;’ whereat the man being moved, did what he could to drown him.” At present we have but a very shght acquaintance with the mode of life adopted by the Gorilla in a wild state, or even with its food. For a knowledge of the habits of animals is only to be gained by a long residence in their vicinity, and by careful watching. With some creatures this is an easy task, but there are some which are so wary, so active, and so fierce, that a close inspection is almost an impossibility. Among the worst of such objects is the Gorilla. In the first place, it is only to be found in the thickest jungles of the Gaboon, far from man and his habitations. Then, it is wary, as are all the apes, and is said to be so ferocious, that if it sees a man, it immediately attacks him, so that there would be little time for gaining any knowledge of the creature’s domestic habits, and scarcely any likelihood of surviving to tell the result of the investigation. To judge by the structure of the skeleton, and of the entire form, the strength of an adult male must be prodigious. The teeth are heavy and powerful, and the great canines or tusks are considerably more than an inch in their projection from the jaw. The jaw-bone, too, is enormously developed, and the strength of the muscles that move it, is indicated by the deep bony ridges that run over the top of the skull, and in different parts of the head. As is usual among such animals, the tusks of the male Gorilla are nearly double the size of those of the female ape. Although the body is comparatively small, as are the hinder legs, yet the breadth of shoulder and length of arm are singularly great ; while an ordinary human hand placed on that of the ape, dwindles down to insignificance before the huge muscular paw. The thumb of the hinder paws is enormously large, as is well shown in the engraving. There is a treacherous and cruel aspect about this hind foot, with its enormous thumb; and if all tales be true, the foot belies not its character. The natives of the Gaboon country hold the Gorilla in great dread, fearing it even more than the lon itself, on account of its furtively murderous disposition. Concealed among the thick branches of the forest trees, the Gorilla, itself unseen, watches the approach of the unsuspecting negro. Should he pass under the tree, woe betide him; for the Gorilla lets down its terrible hind foot, grasps its victim round the throat, lifts him from the earth, and finally drops him on the ground, dead. Sheer malignity must prompt the animal to such a deed, for it cares not to eat the dead man’s flesh ; but finds a fiendish gratification in the mere act of killing. It is a kind of sporting ; though the game is of a better quality than that which is usually chased over the fields, shot in the air, or hooked out of the water; not to be eaten, but for the sport. Such a deed as the capture of an adult Gorilla has never been attempted, and much less achieved, by the human inhabitants of the same land. There are many reasons for this circumstance. In the first place, the negroes seeing that the Gorilla is possessed of strength, ferocity, and pitiless cruelty, conceive that the animal must be inspirited by the soul of one THE GORILLA. Ilys of their kings; for in the lower stages of man’s progress he does honour to physical force alone, and values his ruler in proportion to his power, brutality, and heartlessness. It is the best boast of a savage chief, no matter of what nation and of what country, that he has “no heart.” The savage crouches in terror before the imaged incarnation of the evil principle, and adores, for he can only worship the object of his fears. His belief is truly that of the demons—“he believes and trembles.” Reverence for the inborn royalty of the Gorilla does not save the animal from the fate of being eaten whenever it falls a victim to the weapons of its negro assailants. Perhaps the very feeling of reverence may incite to the act, in a manner analogous to the filial piety of the Scythians, which was best shown by killing their aged parents and dutifully eating them. But putting aside the terrors of diabolism, which are engrained in the native African mind, the task of capturing a living and full-grown Gorilla is well calculated to appal the heart of any man. The strength, the activity, and the cunning and sanguinary malevolence of the animal are so great, that the uncivilized Africans may well be excused for their dread of its powers. Yet it does not follow that although the Africans have failed, Europeans should not succeed. The native Africans have not dared to attempt the capture of the elephant, although Europeans have succeeded in that endeavour, and have subdued the terrible foe, converting it into a docile servant, and even making it an attached and intelligent friend. Once or twice, the young Gorillas have been captured, in spite of the furious resistance which is made by their male friends ; but from some reason they have always died in a very short time. Cunning as is the Gorilla, and ingenious in some things to a striking degree, its intelligence is but limited, and the animal exhibits such unexpected instances of fatuity, that it well shows the distinction between cunning and wisdom, and proves itself to be but an animal, and nothing more. If it finds the remnant of a fire which has been relinquished by the persons who kindled it, the Gorilla is greatly charmed with the novel sensation produced by artificial warmth, and sits by the bright wonder with much satisfaction. As the fire fails, and the glowing brands sink into white ashes, the animal draws closer to the expiring embers, and does not leave them until all heat has left the spot. But it never thinks of keeping up the fire by placing fresh fuel upon it, and does not even learn to imitate that action, which it may often have seen performed by the hunters who kindled the fire, and kept it well supplied with fuel during the night. It is most providential that the beast is devoid of this faculty, for, with the usual perseverance of the monkey race in such cases, it would probably continue to heap fuel until the forest itself was ablaze. It is said also, that when the Gorilla makes an incursion into a sugar plantation, it has sufficient sense to bite off a number of the canes, and to twist them into a bundle for better conveyance. But it frequently includes several of the growing canes in its faggot, and then feels woefully discomfited because it cannot carry away the parcel which had cost so much trouble in making. The natives of Africa have an idea that these, and other large apes, are really men ; but that they pretend to be stupid and dumb, in order to escape impressment as slaves. Work, indeed, seems to be the swmmum malum in the African mind, and a true African never works if he can help it. As to the necessary household labours, and the task of agriculture, he will not raise a finger, but makes his wives work, he having previously purchased them for that purpose. In truth, in a land where the artificial wants are so few—unless the corruptions of pseudo-civilization have made their entrance—and where unassisted nature is so bountiful, there is small need of work. The daily life of a “black fellow” has been very graphically described in a few words. He gets a large melon ; cuts it in two and scoops out the inside; one half he puts on his head, he sits in the other half, and eats the middle. It is rather singular that this legendary connexion of apes and indolence should prevail on the continents of Africa and Asia. (@) 18 THE GORILLA. The outline of the Gorilla’s face is most brutal in character, and entirely destroys the slight resemblance to the human countenance, which the full form exhibits. As in the Chimpansee .an ape which is placed in the same genus with the Gorilla, the colour of the hair is nearly black; but in some lights, and during the life of the animal, it assumes a lighter tinge of greyish brown, on account of the admixture of variously coloured hairs. On the top of the head, and the side of the cheeks, it assumes a grizzly hue. The length of the hair is not very great, considering the size of the animal, and is not more than two or three inches in Jer ngth. On the arms it is arranged in a rather curious manner, the hair from the shoulder to the elbow points downwards, while that from the elbow to the fingers points upwards, so that the two sets of hairs meet at the elbow, and make a pendent tuft. A similar structure is found in other large apes, but the object of so curious a disposition is not yet known. One reason for this arrangement of the hair, may be that if their long hairs were to hang along the arm and wrist, they would get into the hand, and interfere with the grasp, while by their reverted growth such an Y embarrassment: is removed The colour of the eye is dark brown, glowing with a baleful emerald light, when the fierce passions are roused. It will be seen, on referring to the two engravings, which represent the skeleton of this animal, and the living creature itself, that the paws of the four extremities are not precisely alike in their development. On the two fore-paws, the fingers are enormous, the thumbs being comparatively trifling in dimensions ; while the corresponding members of the hinder paws are just reversed in their size. The figure of the Gorilla, on p. 15, marks these peculiarities with great fidelity, and in the eciign of the creature shows the reason for the extraordinary and gigantic thumbs of the hinder limbs. As to the size of a Hie Gorilla, accounts vary much. The specimen which is best known in England is five feet six inches high, when placed erect. From shoulder to shoulder it measures nearly three feet, while the body is only two feet four inches, measured from the hip-joint. It is possible, however, that there may be much larger individuals. Independent, however, of the impression made on the minds of the spectators by the sight of an infuriated animal, it is a fact that the feeling of anger does dilate the form, whether of man or beast. And as one effect of anger 1s to cause the hair to bristle up (as indeed is seen familiarly in dogs, cats, and other animals), the ape while under the influence of that fiery rage to whic h these animals are so subject, would in reality present a larger outline than ‘if it were calmly engaged in its usual pursuits. Six, or even seven feet of height, have been attributed to these creatures, But it must be remembered that a wild, fierce animal always looks very much larger when living and in motion, than when lying dead and still on the ground, or even “set up” in a museum, with glass eyes, and straw-distended skin. Elephants of sixteen feet high, have shrunk to eleven and ten feet under the application of the measuring rod, and ‘it is proverbial among anglers, that the fish which they do not catch, are finer and heavier than those which they can subject to scales and foot-measure. So it is likely enough, that a wild and savage Gorilla, with his fury-flashing eyes, his fierce gestures, and enormous arms, would impress the mind of his opponent with an idea of a very much larger animal. It is not only upon Gadshill that two men in buckram multiply unto eleven. But granting that the Gorilla does not attain to any much greater height than five feet, even then it is an animal much to be dreaded as an enemy, and capable of doing vast mischief, if so inclined. But it is a most merciful provision, and one that seems to be universal among creatures of such a stamp, that in proportion as their bodily powers increase, their mental powers degenerate. The larger apes are, in their period of childhood, so to speak, teachable and tolerably docile ; while when they attain to years of maturity, the animal attributes assume strength, gradually gain dominion over the mental, until at last the reasoning capacities seem to degenerate into a mere contracted cunning. It seems that this degeneration is intended to prevent the animal from passing beyond the bounds to which it is confined, and by the very laws of its being to prevent it from using its vast strength for bad purposes. The ape evidently does not “know his strength, nor how terrible an enemy he could be, if he only knew how to use the singular power and activity which he possesses. These huge apes seem to live apart from ‘each other, THE GORILLA. 19 and not to band together in large herds as do the baboons and other quadrumanous animals. If they were to unite, and to understand the principle of combination, they could speedily depopulate any country that was inhabited by men who were not possessed of fire-arms, and were unable to construct defences. But, fortunately for those human beings who are within reach of these terrible animals, the adult ape is one of the most dull and stupid creatures imaginable ; sulky, ferocious, and given solely to its own animal appetites. Here is a sketch of one of the lowest and least developed of human beings, probably the very lowest of the human race. This little man, who belongs to the same country as the Gorilla, hardly attains even to the same stature, and in muscular proportions is a very pigmy. Yet that in mere animal form the Bushman is infinitely higher than the ape, is evident from the contrast displayed by the two figures; while, if the comparison be ex- tended to the mental endowments, the impassable barrier that exists between the two beings, exhibits itself in the most unmistakeable manner, Modern zoologists have done rightly in refusing to admit mankind into the same order with beings so infinitely below them, as are even the very highest of the apes. The unprogressive animal is restricted to a narrow circle of thought and reason, and is totally devoid of that great privi- lege of human nature which we call by the name of aspiration. Man ever proceeds onwards and * upwards, anticipating something beyond that which he possesses, while the brute creation remain in the same course of life in which they were origi- nally placed. The records of geological experience, show that Simiadie of gigantic stature existed on earth ages before the creation of human beings. Relics of these creatures have been found in various BUSHMAN. parts of the globe, and even in the tertiary formations of our own island. Apes were, therefore, at least contemporary with mankind ; but while men have progressed, the apes have stood still, and always will stand still as long as they remain upon earth. The ape which saw the light in the year B.c. 4,000, was not a whit behind its descendant of the year A.D. 1859 in intellect or civilization ; ; and if the order were to be continued for twenty thousand years longer, the last ape would be not a step nearer civilization than the primeval pair. Within its own little circle of life, many of its bodily senses are far more acute than those of man, and its bodily powers greater; but there ends the advantage. The animals are only partial and individual in their existence, restricted to a small sphere of life, and often confined within a very limited portion of the earth. These very limits place the animals at an immeasurable distance ‘from man, who spreads himself over the entire earth, enduring with equal ease the fierce rays of the tropical sun, or the icy blasts of the arctic gales, and accommodating himself, through the agencies which his intellect projects, to these totally dissimilar modes of life. THE CHIMPANSEE. CLOSELY connected with the preceding animal is the large black ape, which is now well known by the name of CHIMPANSEE. This creature is found in the same parts of Western Africa as the gorilla, being very common near the Gaboon. It ranges over a considerable space of country, inhabiting a belt of land some ten or more degrees north and south of the torrid zone. THE CHIMPANSEE.—Troglodgjles Niger. For some little time it was supposed that the gorilla was simply an adult Chimpansee, but zoologists now agree in separating it from that animal, and giving it a specific name of its own. The title niger, or black, sufficiently indicates the colour of the hair which envelops the body and limbs of the Chimpansee. The tint of the hair is almost precisely the same as that of the gorilla, being nearly entirely black; the exception being a few whiter hairs scattered thinly over the muzzle. Age seems to give the hair of the animal a greyish tint in many places. As in the gorilla, the hair of the fore-arm is turned towards the elbow, where it meets the hair from the upper arm, and forms a pointed tuft. On the chest and abdomen it is rather thinner than on the remainder of THE CHIMPANSEE. 21 the body, and permits the skin to be seen between the hairs, but on the arms and other parts it is sufficiently thick and long to hide the skin altogether. There is a small beard on the chin and face, which has a Chinese kind of aspect about it. With very few exceptions, the nostrils of the Quadrumana are placed almost flat upon the face, and are devoid of that projecting character which gives such expression to the human countenance. Even in that very large-nosed animal, the Proboscis Monkey, the nostrils are only oval orifices for the conveyance of air, and seem as devoid of character as those of a wax doll, Just as man is the only being that possesses two hands and feet, so is he the only inhabitant of earth who can lay claim to a nose. All the Mammalia have nostrils, and some species are endowed with wonderful powers of scent, such as the dogs, the deer, and others. Some of them carry a proboscis more or less elongated, such as the elephants and the tapirs. Then there are some, such as those of the porcine group, which possess snouts ; but not one of them has a nose. So in the Chimpansee and its relatives, the muzzle projects exceedingly, and the nostrils le almost flatly upon the projecting mass. Herein lies one of the chief characteristics of the simian countenance, which is not so conspicuous when the face is viewed directly from the front, as when it is turned with the profile towards the observer. In front, the flattened and divergent nostrils, together with the projecting muzzle, are not forced on the notice, and might escape a hasty observation ; but if the animal turns its head, then the simian character shows itself in all its repulsive brutality. Even in the young Chimpansee, this preponderance of the face and jaws over the brain- skull is very considerable, and, as we have already seen, continues to increase as the animal draws nearer to maturity. The accompanying sketch exhibits the general characteristics of the Chimpansee skull, and shows how radically it differs from that of the human being. The distinction is even more clearly shown if the lower jaw be removed, and the skull examined from below ; for then, the disproportion between the animal and reflective parts shows itself most forcibly. In its native country, the Chimpansee lives in a partly social state, and at night the united cries of the community fill the air with their reiterated yells. If we may credit the reports given by the natives of Western Africa, the Chimpansees weave huts for themselves, and take up their residence in these dwellings. Now it is a well- known fact that the orang-outan, which comes next in our list, can rapidly frame a kind of platform of interwoven branches, and so it is not beyond the bounds of credibility that the Chimpansee may perform a work of similar character. Only, the chief difference between the customs of the two animals seems to be, that the one lives upon the structure or roof, if it may so be called, and the other beneath it. Some travellers say, that although the huts are actually inhabited, yet that only the females and young are permitted to take possession of the interior, and that the male takes up his position on the roof. The latter supposition derives more force from those habits of the Chimpansees with which we are acquainted, and which have induced naturalists to give to the entire genus, the name of troglodytes. This term is compounded from two Greek words, signifying a “diver into caverns,” and was applied to this ape, because it seems to prefer rocky and broken ground to the forest branches, which form the refuge of nearly all quadrumanous animals. This compound word is not of modern invention; for in the works of Aristotle, Pliny, and other writers on the subject of natural history, much mention is made of a race of men who lived in rocky caverns, and who earned, by their burrowing habits, the title above mentioned. The language and costume of these people were as barbarous as their habitations, for the former characteristic was said to resemble the hissing of serpents, rather than to bear any likeness to articulate speech, and in the latter accomplishment they were totally deficient in the hotter months. It is possible that the Bushman tribes may have given rise to these descriptions, which, indeed, would not be very erroneous if they had been used in depicting the “Digger” Indians of the New World. Be this as it may, it is a remarkable fact that the Chimpansees are groundlings, and SKULL OF CHIMPANSEE. 22 THE CHIMPANSEE. are not accustomed to habitual residence among the branches of trees. Although these apes do not avail themselves of the protection which would be afforded by a loftier habitation, yet they are individually so strong, and collectively so formidable, that they dwell in security, unharmed even by the lon, leopard, or other members of the cat tribes, which are so dreaded by the monkey tribes generally. Even the elephant yields to these active and ferocious animals, and leaves them undisturbed. Yet a Chimpansee would not dare to meet a panther in single combat, and depends for safety upon the assistance that would be afforded by its companions. This is shown by a curious and rather absurd incident that occurred on board a ship, where a young and docile Chimpansee suddenly came in sight of a caged panther, which had taken voyage in the same vessel. The unexpected sight of the panther entirely overcame his feelings, and with a fearful yell he dashed along the deck, knocking over sundry of the crew in his passage. He then dived into the folds of a sail which was lying on deck, covered himself up with the sail-cloth, and was in such an agony of terror, that he could not be induced to come out of his retreat for a long time. His fright was not groundless, for the panther was as much excited as the ape, only with eager ‘desire, and not with fear, It paced its cage for hours afterwards, and continued to watch restlessly, much as a cat may be seen to watch the crevice through which a mouse has made good its escape. There are also stré ange reports, which are still credited, that the Chimpansees carry off negresses, and detaim them in the woods for years, sometimes until they are released by death from their terrible captivity. The food of these creatures appears to be almost entirely of a vegetable nature, and they are very unprofitable neighbours to anyone who has the misfortune to raise crops of rice, or to plant bananas, plantains, or papaus, within an easy journey of a Chimpansee settle- ment. As is the case with many of the monkey tribes, the animal will eat food of a mixed character, when it is living in a domesticated state. Many specimens have been brought to Europe, and some to England; but this msular climate seems to have a more deleterious effect on the constitution of this ape than even on that of the other Quadrumana. In this country, our worst, most insidious, and most irresistible malady fastens upon the apes with relentless hand. The lungs of these creatures are accustomed to the burning suns which heat and rarefy the air of the tropical climates, and are peculiarly sensitive to cold and damp. Few members of this family live to any leneth of years, after they have once crossed the Channel. They are, after a while, seized with a short hacking cough, the sure sign that consumption has begun that work which it is so sure to accomplish. It may be, that the atmosphere of so small an island as England, is loaded with marine and saline exhalations which prove too irritative to the lungs of the ape. Be this as it may, the free use of food which supplies a large amount of carbon, is the best preventive of this lethal ailment. Cod liver oil will be found very efficacious ; and I know of one successful cure, where the animal was treated to a glass of wine daily. It seems to supply, internally, the heat principle, which is poured in fiery vehemence from the vertical sun of the tropics, and which our temperate zones can only afford in moderate proportions. A monkey, when aftlicted with this disease, is a truly pitiful sight. The poor animal sits in such a woeful attitude, coughing at intervals, and putting its hands to its chest in a way terribly human. And it looks so mournfully and reproachfully out of its dark brown eyes, Just as if it were rebuking the spectator for his part in bringing it from its native land, where it was happy among its friends, to die a solitary death of cold and consump- tion, behind the bars of its prison. The climate of France seems to be better suited to these animals than that of England. In the Jardin des Plantes, in Paris, there was a remarkably fine specimen of the Chimpansee. Black, sleek, and glossy, he was facdle princeps in the establishment, and none dared to dispute his authority. He was active enough, and displayed very great strength, and some agility, as he THE CHIMPANSEE. 23 swung himself from side to side of the cage, by means of the ropes that are suspended fromm the roof; but he preserved a dignified air as became the sole ruler. There was a kind of aristocratic calmness about the animal, and he would, at intervals, pause in his airy promenade, and, seating himself on a convenient spot, deliberately scan the large assembly that generally surrounded the monkey-house. His survey completed, he would eat a nut or a piece of biscuit, and recommence his leisurely gambols. His health seemed to be perfectly good, as was shown by the alertness of his movements, and the full, open look of his eyes. A sad contrast to this animal was presented by a wretched little Chimpansee which I saw in England. It was still possessed of sufficient strength to move about its cage, but executed all its movements in a slow, listless manner, that would have told its own tale, had not the frequent hacking cough spoken so plainly of the malady that was consuming its vitals. The countenance of the poor creature was very sad, and it did not appear to take the least interest in anything that occurred. I have seen many monkeys with this sad aspect, and was always haunted by their piteous looks for days afterwards. The ravages which this disease can make in the delicate formation of a monkey’s lune, before the creature finally succumbs, must be seen to be appreciated. The whole organ is so eaten up, and its colour and substance so changed, that the spectator marvels that the creature’s life could have been sustained for an hour under such circumstances. As long, however, as they resist the untoward influence of our climate, the specimens which we have known, have always been extremely gentle and docile. Taught by the instinctive dread of cold, they soon appreciate the value of clothing, and learn to wrap themselves in mats, rugs, or blankets, with perfect gravity and decorum. Dress exercises its fascinations even over the ape, for one of these animals has been known to take such delight in a new and handsome costume, that he repudiated the previous dress, and in order to guard against the possibility of reverting to the cast-off garment, tore it to shreds. Whether the natives of Western Africa speak rightly in asserting that the Chimpansee is capable of using weapons, is at present rather a doubtful point. The negroes say that the “Baboos,” as they call the animals (the name evidently being a corruption from our own word Baboon), make use of clubs, staves, and other rude weapons, and that they can use them with great address. Certain it is, that the adult Chimpansee has been known to snap with a single effort branches so thick, that the united strength of two men could hardly bend them. But whether the animal would possess sufficient intellectual power to make use of a weapon thus obtained, is not so certain. It is said that they have a sufficient amount of knowledge to be aware that the strength of a man hes in his weapons, and not in his muscles only ; and that if a hunter should draw on himself the vengeance of the troop, by wounding or killing one of their number, he can escape certain death by flinging down his gun. The enraged apes gather round the object that dealt the fatal stroke, and tear it to pieces with every mark of fury. While they are occupied with wreaking their vengeance on the senseless object, the owner of the fatal weapon escapes unnoticed. The strength of arm with which this animal is endowed, has already been shown. But although the hinder limbs are not possessed of that gigantic muscular strength which is given to the arms, yet they are powerful to a degree that would be remarkable in any animal less athletic than the Chimpansee. One of these creatures has been seen to lower itself backwards from the bar on which it was sitting, and to draw itself up again, merely by the grasp of the hinder feet. The age to which the Chimpansee attains in its wild state,isas yet unknown. But to judge by the length of time that elapses before the animal reaches maturity, its life cannot be very much less than that of the human inhabitants of the same land. Nine or ten years are spent by the Chimpansee before it has reached the perfection of its development ; and it is well known that the inhabitants of the tropical regions attain to maturity at a very early age indeed. A peculiarly fine specimen of the Chimpansee, which was tamed and domesticated in its native country, lived to the age of twenty-one years. This animal was possessed of 24 THE CHIMPANSEE. gigantic strength, and on one occasionwas intercepted in the act of carrying a soldier into the tree to which he was chained. This ape might, however, have been a specimen of the gorilla. One great and almost radical objection to the weapon-using powers of the Chimpansee, may be found in the difficulty which these animals experience in standing erect. In order to use a weapon effectively, the hands and arms must be at liberty, and the feet planted firmly on the ground. A defect in either of these conditions, is fatal to the right handling of the weapon. Now, as the Chimpansee has much difficulty in preserving even a semi-erect position, and is forced to aid itself by placing the backs of its hands on the ground, it will be at once seen that a club would not give very much assistance to the creature. It might certainly launch stones with force and effect; but a weapon that requires the full and independent use of both sets of limbs, would be of small benefit. Besides, the creature is already so terribly armed by nature with formidable fangs, and limbs of Herculean strength, that it needs no artificial means of offence, and would probably be rather embarrassed by them than otherwise. Still, it is not improbable that these inquisitive animals have seen their human neigh- bours armed with sticks, and in that irresistible spirit of imitation to which monkey nature seems to be a victim, have armed themselves in similar manner, though with cer- tain detrimental results. Should they really have recourse to these artificial and useless weapons, when brought into collision with human foes, it may be a providential means of depriving them of those terrible natural weapons, which would be truly formidable, and so causing them to be the more easily overcome by man. Judging from the familiar instances of their imitative nature, we may safely allow that the Chimpansees do carry sticks, although we may infer that such weapons would be worse than useless to their bearers. In common with the orang-outan, and several other members of the same family, the Chimpansee is possessed of extremely mobile lips. In the lips, indeed, the whole expres- sion of the face seems to be concentrated ; and by the lips, the animal expresses the various emotions of fear, astonishment, hatred, rage, or pleasure, that agitate the ape’s brain. Those lips can be protruded until they assume an almost snout-like aspect ; they can be moulded into the strangest forms ; they can be withdrawn, and almost obliterated from the countenance, when the creature extends its mouth into the grin of anger, exhibit- ing its sharp teeth, and uttering its furious cries. There are in the face of the ape none of those delicate lines that render the human countenance an index of the mind within ; and, therefore, the animal makes the most of the limited means which it possesses. Articulate voice it has none, although it can be taught to comprehend the commands of its instructor; but it is a proficient in natural language of action, and by gesture can make itself understood without difficulty. Though the language of the ape be not articulate, according to our ideas, yet in their wild state the Chimpansees can talk well enough for their own purposes. One proof of this, is the acknowledged fact that they can confer with one another sufficiently to act in unison, at the same time and place, and with a given object. Strong and daring as they are, they do not appear to seek a contest with human beings, but do their best to keep quietly out of the way. Like most animals that herd together, even in limited numbers, the Chimpansees have ever a watchful sentinel posted on the look-out, whose duty it is to guard against the insidious approach of foes, and to give warning if he sees, hears, or smells, anything of a suspicious character. Should the sentinel ape perceive a sign of danger, he sets up a loud ery, which has been likened to the anguished scream of a man in sore distress. The other apes know well enough the meaning of that cry, and signify their comprehension by answering cries. If the danger continues to threaten, then the ape-conversation becomes loud, shrill, and hoarse, and the air is filled with the various notes of the simian language, perfectly understood by themselves, although to human ears it consists of nothing but discordant yells and barks. On reference to the engraving on p. 20, it will be seen that the arms of this animal, of the gorilla, and the orang-outan, are of considerably greater length than might be THE ORANG-OUTAN. 25 inferred from the height of the animal. It will also be seen that each creature is repre- sented with the knuckles of one hand resting on the tree-trunk on which they are supported. This peculiar action has been thus noted, because, when these creatures aid their steps by placing the hands on the ground, they have the curious habit of resting the knuckles on the ground, instead of the palms of the hands, as might have been sup- posed. From this peculiarity, the three apes have received the appropriate title of “ knuckle-walkers.” The head of the Chimpansee is remarkable for the large development of the ears, which stand prominently from the sides of the head, and give a curiously peculiar expres- sion to the contour of the head and face. We should probably have seen many more specimens of this ape imported into this country, had not the superstitious fears of the natives kept them aloof from meddling with these animals. Probably on account of the weird resemblance to the human form, which is one characteristic of their race, or on account of their cunning, the inhabitants of the Gaboon and the neighbourhood labour under the dread of being bewitched by the Chimpansees, and so very prudently let them alone. Certainly, they would be “no canny” to deal with, and the discretion exercised is not to be blamed. THE ORANG-OUTAN. THE title of Satyrus, or Satyr, is very rightly appled to the huge ape which is known by the name of ORANG-OUTAN. For, saving that the long-eared Satyrs of the classic authors were more intellectual in countenance, and usually wore hoofs instead of hands at the extremities of the lower limbs, there is no small resemblance between the veritable and the imaginary wild man of the woods. An ancient proverb tells us that there is no smoke without fire ; and we generally find that even the wildest travellers’ tales have some foundation in fact. The ruddy colour of the hair of these Satyrs is especially noticed, and the reader will remark that the Orang- outan is at once distinguishable from the two preceding animals, by the reddish, chest- nut colour of its hair. The goat-legs with which Satyrs were generally furnished, do not seem to be indispensable, for I have now before me two curious old wood-engravings of Satyrs, neither of which creatures possess the hircine leg. One of them is represented with a flute in his hand, and legs and feet of a human form, while the other is a composite animal altogether. On the top of his head is a huge fleshy comb, like that of a cock ; two ibex horns curl over his shoulders, and his ears are those of an ass, dressed and pointed. Three large skin pouches hang from the throat to the middle of the breast, concealed at their origin by an enormous beard that curves upwards until its tip is on a level with the nose. The body and limbs are those of a man, fringed and studded with tufts of long hair, and the tail is that of a wolf. The hands are replaced by four-clawed paws, and the feet are modelled from those of the chameleon. The account which is affixed to the portrait, avers the colour of the nondescript to be a “yellowish carnation,” and states that it was seen in a forest belonging to the Bishop of Saltsburg, in the year 1530. The date of the print is 1658. In connexion with this subject we may mention the curiously similar legends of Brazil, as told by Dr. Lund. With the exception of colour, and of several added pecu- liarities, the native accounts of the Caypore, as they call the creature, differ but very slightly from the tales told of the Ingheena of Africa. The animal is said to be equal in stature to the human form, to be in the habit of walking in the erect posture, to be quiet and harmless when young, but when aged to become fierce and dangerous, and to attack mankind with the formidable tusks that grow from its jaws. So much for the points of similarity, which are sufficiently striking. The additional properties are as follow :— 26 THE ORANG-OUTAN. The Caypore, or “ Dweller of the Wood,” is covered with long curling hair of a brown colour, so thick as to be invulnerable except in a single white spot on the abdomen. Its feet are each furnished with two heels, one in the usual position, and the other in the place where the toes are generally placed. On account of this peculiarity, its footmarks, although they cannot be mistaken for those of any other animal, cannot be tracked, as no one can tell in which direction the footprints proceed. It is the lord of the wild hogs, and if any of its subjects be killed, its angry voice warns the slayer to make his escape. The upper portion of its body is that of an ape, and from the waist downwards, that of a pig. It may be seen in the middle of the wild swine, riding upon the largest of the herd. THE ORANG-OUTAN.—Simia Sdlyrus. It is most remarkable that there should be similar legends in Western Africa, in 3orneo, and in Brazil ; and the elucidation of the mystery would in all probability bring to light some curious phy sical facts. The Orang-outan is a native of Asia, and only to be found upon a small portion of that part of the globe. Borneo and Sumatra are the lands most favoured by the Orang- outan, which inhabits the woody districts of those islands, and there rules supreme, unless attacked by man. THE ORANG-OUTAN. 27 There seem to be at least two species of this animal, that are found in Borneo, and some zoologists consider the Sumatran ape to be a third species. The natives distinguish the two Bornean species by the name of Mias-kassar, and Mias-pappan, the latter of which animals is the Simia satyrus, so well represented in the engraving. The Pappan i is a truly terrible animal when roused to anger, and would be even more formidable than is the case, were it endowed with a less slothful disposition. Its length of arm is very great ; for when the animal stands erect, and permits the arms to hang by its sides, its hands can nearly touch the ground. The muscular power of these arms is proportionate to their length, and it is chiefly by means of the upper limbs that the ape makes progress among the boughs of the trees on which it loves to live. So powerful, indeed, are the arms, that a female Orang has been known to snap a strong spear like a reed, and this after she had been weakened by many wounds and loss of blood. In attack the Orang-outan is not sparing of teeth as well as hands ; and uses to the utmost the weapons with which it has been endowed. The teeth of an adult Orang are truly formidable weapons, and it is said that even the leopard cares not to prove their power. So strong are even the front teeth, that they are capable of gnawing through and tearing away the dense fibrous covering in which the cocoa-nut is enveloped, and possibly can cut through the hard shell itself, Besides these teeth, the Orang is furnished with enormous canines, or tusks, the ohject of which is probably to act as offensive weapons ; for the Orang is a vegetable-feeding animal, and the canine teeth can hardly be eiven merely for the purpose of cutting vegetable food. Although the hind limbs are not so largely developed as the arms, yet they possess 2 oreat power, and are perfectly adapted to the purpose which they serve, For terrestrial locomotion they are anything but fitted, as the animal is unable to plant the sole, or rather the palm, flat upon the ground, and rests upon the outside edges of the feet. The walk of the Orang-outan is little better than an awkward hobble, and the creature shuftles along uneasily by help of its arms. The hands are placed on the ground, and are used as crutches in aid of the feet, which are often raised entirely from the ground, and the body swung through the arms. Sometimes it bends considerably backwards, and throwing its long arms over its head, preserves its equilibrium by their means. This attitude is caused by the peculiar structure of the hind limbs, which, besides their comparative shortness, are only loosely jointed to the hip-bones. The Orang-outan is destitute of the short, but very strong ligament, that binds the thigh-bone to the hip- joimt, and which is called the ligamentum teres. This ligament is very powerful in man, and plays an important part in giving him that steady tread, which alone is sufficient to distinguish the human species from the apes. But the Orang- outan is intended for an arboreal life, and requires limbs that can adapt themselves to the boughs. Therefore the legs are so twisted inwards, that the feet can grasp the branches freely, and hold the body in its position, while the long arms are stretched out to take a fresh hold. Among the trees the Orang-outan is in its element, and traverses the boughs with an ease and freedom that contrasts strongly with its awkward movements when on the ground. It has a curious habit of making for itself a temporary resting-place, by weaving together the branches so as to make a rude platform or scaffold on which it reposes. The powerful limbs of the animal enable it to execute this task in a very short time. Rajah Brooke of Sarawak narrates an interesting tale of a female Orang-outan, which when severely wounded ceased her attempts to. escape, and weaving together a branch-platform, seated herself upon it, and quietly awaited her end. The poor animal received several more shots before she expired, and as she fell dead upon her extemporary edifice, the hunters were put to some trouble before they could dislodge the dead body. The whole process of weaving the branches and seating herself did not occupy more than a minute. When the hunters desire to capture an adult Orang-outan, they hem him in by felling the trees around that on which he is seated, and so deprive him of the means of escape. 28 THE ORANG-OUTAN. Having thus cut off his retreat, they apply the axe to the tree of refuge, and endeavour to secure the ape before he has recovered from the shock of the fall. The adult male animal is singularly hideous in aspect, owing much of its repulsive- ness to the great projection of the jaws and the callosities that appear on the cheeks. As is the case with all the larger apes, it becomes sullen and ferocious as it approaches its adult state, although in the earlier years of its life it is docile, quiet, and even affectionate. Several young specimens have been brought to Europe, and were quite interesting animals, having many curious tricks, and exhibiting marks of strong affection to anyone who treated them kindly. One of these animals learned to take its meals in a civilised maner, using a spoon, or a cup and saucer, with perfect propriety. When brought to colder climates than that of its native land, the animal covets warmth, and is fond of wrapping itself in any woollen clothes, or blankets that it can obtain. On board ship it has been known to rob the sailors or passengers of their bedding, and to resist with much energy any attempt to recover the stolen property. Though sufficiently docile and good-tempered when it has its own way, the young Orang is rather subject to sudden gusts of passion when crossed in its wishes, and in such cases puts forth its powers with much effect. But the angry passion soon passes away, and the creature seems to be ashamed of its conduct. One of these animals which I watched for some little time, had a curiously wistful and piteous expression of countenance, and although very young, its face was wrinkled like that of an old man of eighty. The creature sat and looked out of its deeply set eyes, as if the cares of the nation rested on its shoulders. It was not very lively, but moved about among the branches with great ease. The form was not at all symmetrical, for the long arms, and feet, and hands seemed strangely out of proportion with its round, weakly-looking body, so that it involuntarily reminded the spectator of those long-legged, round-bodied spiders that are so common about old walls. The lips were very mobile, and the animal moved them when agitated by any emotions ; sometimes shooting them forward like the poutings of a petulant child, and sometimes drawing them together in strange wrinkles. The neck was but slightly indicated, and the whole animal presented an uncouth, goblin-like aspect. One of these animals that was brought to England by Dr. Abel, exhibited many curious habits. It had been taught to walk in an erect position, without supporting itself by extraneous help, but the erect posture was so ill adapted to its structure, that it could only preserve its balance by raising the arms over its head, and throwing them behind it, as has already been mentioned. The mode in which the head is united to the neck renders the equilibrium uncertain. This animal was tolerably omnivorous in appetite, for although its usual food consisted of fruits and bread, it was exceedingly fond of raw eggs, and would eat almost any kind of meat, whether dressed or raw. It would drink water, or milk, or beer, preferring the two latter liquids to any other. But it was also fond of wine, and was partial to mixtures of a still more potent character. Coffee and tea were favourite beverages with the animal, so that it displayed a decidedly civilized taste. As might be expected, while it was on board ship the sailors petted their companion after their wont, and it was quite familiar with them, showing no fear, and even occasionally indulging in a sham fight. But it was struck with unaccountable fright at some very harmless creatures that became inmates of the same vessel. They were only common turtles, perfectly incapable of doing damage, and destined for soup. But the mere sight of them terrified the Orang-outan to such an extent that it ran away to the mast-head, and, protruding its lips, uttered a series of strange sounds. A land tortoise affected the animal in a similar manner, as also did the sight of a number of men bathing and floating in the water. Perhaps there was some connexion in the mind of the ape between the turtle and the cayman, which supposition is strengthened by the alarm caused by the bathers. I have known a common snail cause a great turmoil in a cage of monkeys, and there may possibly be some instinctive antipathy between monkeys and crawling animals. THE ORANG-OUTAN. 29 This singular emotion is worthy of notice, because it proves the fallacy of judging any animal to be the natural enemy of another, merely because the latter is terrified at its approach. Granting that the apes might occasionally have been prompted by their mischievous nature to meddle with the turtles, and to have been half-blinded by a sand- shower thrown from the turtle’s flippers, or have suffered a painful wound from the snap of a turtle’s sharp jaws, yet the little land-tortoise could not do damage. As we have just mentioned, even the presence of a poor garden-snail is a terror to many members of the monkey race. It is therefore evident that the antipathy does not exist only in some individuals which may have suffered by the reptiles, but that it is the common propensity of these strange animals. We can easily understand that an ape should display an agony of terror at the sight of a leopard, or a snake, for the one has teeth and claws, being also very fond of ape-flesh, and the other has fangs. But that the same animal should be just as frightened when it sees a turtle, a tortoise, or a man bathing, is indeed remarkable. Our best insight into the habits of animals is generally gained by watching the actions of a single individual, and these biographies are usually found to be most interesting. An admirable description has been given by Dr. Abel of the young Orang- outan, which has been already mentioned. At first the ape was put into a cage, but he broke the bars and got out. Then he was chained, but he detached the chain from the staple, and finding that the heavy links incommoded him, he coiled the chain round his shoulder, and to prevent it from slipping, held the end in his mouth. As he always succeeded in escaping from his bonds, his keepers made a virtue of necessity, and permitted him to enjoy the full range of the vessel. Among the ropes he was quite at home, and, trusting to his superior activity, was accustomed to take liberties with the sailors, and then escape among the ropes. One very curious trait in his character must be given in the words of the narrator. “ Although so gentle when not exceedingly irritated, the Orang-outan could be excited to violent rage, which he expressed by opening his mouth, showing his teeth, and seizing and biting those who were near him. “ Sometimes, indeed, he seemed almost driven to desperation ; and on two or three occasions committed an act which in a rational being would have been called the threatening of suicide. If repeatedly refused an orange when he attempted to take it, he would shriek violently and swing furiously about the ropes, then return and endeavour to obtain it. If again refused, he would roll for some time like an angry child upon the deck, uttering the most piercing screams; and then, suddenly starting up, rush furiously over the side of the ship and disappear. “ On first witnessing this act, we thought that he had thrown himself into the sea ; but on a search being made, found him concealed under the chains.” He learned artificial tastes of civilization, and preferred tea and coffee to water. Tastes less natural and more to be regretted soon followed, for he took to drinking wine, and was so fond of spirituous liquids, that he was detected in stealing the captain’s brandy-bottle. This interesting animal survived the English climate for about eighteen months, and then succumbed to the usual foe of the monkey race. The fatal issue of the disease was probably promoted by the shedding of his teeth. In its native woods, the Orang-outan seems to be an unsocial animal, delighting not in those noisy conversaziones which rejoice the hearts of the gregarious monkeys and deafen the ears of their neighbours. It does not even unite in little bands of eight or ten as do many species, but leads a comparatively eremitical existence among the trees, sitting in dreamy indolence on the platform which it weaves, and averse to moving unless impelled by hunger, anger, or some motive equally powerful. When it does move, it passes with much rapidity from tree to tree, or from one branch to another by means of its long limbs, and launches itself through a considerable distance, if the space between the branches be too great for its reach of arm. It has already been mentioned that the adult Orang is a sullen and ferocious animal, 30 THE SIAMANG. and if the reader will refer to the accompanying sketch of the skull, he may form an opinion of the nature that belonged to the animal that owned such a skull. It is almost totally animal in character; there is hardly any space for the brain ; the head is surmounted with heavy ridges of bone, showing the ‘great streneth of the muscles that are attached to them; the lower part of the face and the jaws projects greatly, and, in fine, the skull is almost wholly made up of face, jaws, and bony ridges. The teeth, too, are very formidable. The hair of the Orang-outan is of a reddish chestnut hue, deepening here and there into brown. The texture of the hair is coarse, and its skuct oronanc-ovran.leneth varies according to the part of the body on which it is placed. Over the face, back, east shoulders, and arms, it falls in thick pro- fusion, becoming especially long at the elbow-joint, where the hairs of the upper and fore-arm meet. The face is partly covered with a beard, which seems to increase in size as the animal grows older. The hair of the face takes a lighter tinge of red than that of the body, and merges the red or auburn tint in the brown, on the inside of the limbs. At a little distance, the face appears to be black ; but if examined closely is found to present a bluish tint. The Mias-kassar is similar to the Mias-pappan in general appearance, and colour of hair; but is evidently a different species from the Pappan, and not the young of that animal. Of this ape, Sir J. Brooke says, that it 1s “a small, shght animal; by no means formidable in its appearance ; with hands and feet srgamiiion to the body. They do not approach the gigantic extremities of the Pappan either in size or power; and, in short, a moderately strong man could readily overpower one ; when he would not stand a shadow of a chance with the Pappan.” The height of a full-grown Pappan does not seem to be quite so great as has been supposed. Credible informants, however, tell us that they usually grow to the height of five feet, or even more, which, taking into consideration the extreme length of the arms, and the general muscular development, gives us a very large ape indeed. Sir J. Brooke was deceived into the belief that one of these animals which he killed was nearly six feet in stature ; but was surprised to find when the animal was dead that the height was very much overrated. Many of the quadrumanous animals, among which are the large apes, the siamang, many of the tailed monkeys, and the baboons, are furnished with a singular appendage to the throat, which has been carefully investigated by M. Vrolik. This appendage consists of a pouch, varying in form and size, which is connected with the lungs by an opening into the windpipe, and can be dilated with air at the pleasure of the animal. The result of his researches is, that the air-pouch is not connected with the voice ; but that it is intended to reduce the specific gravity of the animal, and to assist it in climbing or leaping. The pouch is not a mere hollow sac; but is furnished with many subordinate receptacles, something like a badly made glove, with three or four additional fingers or thumbs. These prolongations lie between the muscles of the throat. They are large in the male than in the other sex, and increase together with the growth of the animal. In the Orang-outan, these pouches are very largely developed ; much more so than in the chimpansee. The siamang possesses them of a large size, while the gibbons are without them. The generic name Sima, which is applied to these apes, and which serves to distinguish the entire family, is derived from the Greek word Stmos, signifying “ flat-nosed.” THE SIAMANG. THE accounts of this ape vary extremely. Some authors pronounce the Siamang to be a dull and stupid animal, caring not to distinguish between friends and foes ; never THE SIAMANG. 31 moving until forced to do so, and hardly even taking the trouble to put food into its mouth. Others give to the Siamaneg the character of being a lively and affectionate creature, soon tamed, and attaching itself strongly to those with whom it has made acquaintance, and who behave kindly to it. As the latter character has been borne by the Siamang when in the possession of those who treated it well, and studied its habits, it is but justic e to the creature to give it the credit of good behaviour. The SIAMANG is a Sumatran ani- mal, and, as far as is known, is found in no other spot on the globe. The colour of the hair is black, and it is so thickly planted, that, although it is but short, it conceals the skin, except in one or two spots, such as the upper part of the breast, where the skin can be seen through the woolly covering. It is a large ani- mal, measuring some three feet in height, when it has attained to its full erowth. The arms are long, and the hands narrow, with slender fin- gers covered with the woolly black hair as far as the roots of the nails. The term Syndactyla, or “joined- fingers,” is applied to this ape be- Z PEL OS cause the first and second fingers of THE SEAMANG.—Siamanga Synddctyla. the hinder limbs are united as far as the middle of the second joint. This union of the members is by means of a membrane that runs between the fingers, and does not extend to the bones, which when stripped of their fleshy coverings are found to be as distinct as those of any other animal. There is a curious structure of the throat which is worth notice. This consists of a double pouch under the chin and throat, formed by the loose folds of skin. When the animal is excited either by anger or pleasure, it inflates these pouches to such a degree, that their exterior surface becomes quite glossy. The pouches are without hair. At sunrise and sunset, the Siamangs assemble in ereat numbers, under the command of a chief who is thought by the natives to be weapon-proof, and, being assembled, utter most hideous yells, each striving to outdo the other in their cries. It is supposed by some writers that the peculiar resonance of the animal’s cry, is in a great measure to be attributed to the throat-pouches above mentioned. M. Vrolik, however, seems to be of a different opinion, as has been already noticed in the account of the Orang- outan. Except at the beginning and end of the day, the Siamangs are compara- tively quiet. There is not a very great development of the combative nature in this animal, which is timid, unless urged by those feelings which inspire even the weakest and mildest creatures with reckless courage. The poor animal has no notion how to inflict or avoid a blow; but in defence of its young, when threatened with danger, or in revenge for their loss, if slain, the mother Siamang dauntlessly flings herself upon the enemy, caring nothing for her own life in comparison with that of her offspring. When permitted to range unmolested in the woods, the care of the mother Siamang for her young affords a ‘Pleasing, and sometimes an amusing spectacle. But the father must not be passed over without the tribute of honour due to his paternal virtues. Those who have watched the Siamangs as they wandered unrestrainedly, say that the parents divide the care of the family between them; the father taking care of the male offspring, and the mother of the females. They are properly solicitous about the cleanliness of their young charge, and duly wash them, rub and dry them, in spite of the screams and struggles of the little ones. 32 THE GIBBONS. It seems to be a general rule, that when an animal is peculiarly adapted for one mode of life, displaying singular powers therein, it is quite at a loss when placed in an uncongenial condition. The bats, for example, are awkward and helpless animals when placed on a level surface; so are many of the swift-winged birds, such as the albatross, the frigate-bird, and others, while the diving-birds are just as clumsy on land as they are agile in the water. So it is with the Siamang, for its great length of limb, that gives it such powers of locomotion among trees, forms a serious impediment to its progress on level ground. Among the trees the Siamang is unapproachable ; and although not quite so active as the gibbons, is yet sufficiently so to be perfectly secure from pursuit. But let the creature once descend to earth, and it is so embarrassed by its long limbs that it can be overtaken and captured with ease. Indeed, those specimens that have been taken unhurt, have almost invariably been made prisoners while struggling to regain the shelter of the trees. One of these animals was for some time an inmate of a ship, where it became quite companionable, and gained the affections of passengers and crew. So far from exhibiting the sullen and sluggish demeanour which has been attributed to this ape, the Siamang displayed great activity and quickness, skipping about the ropes, and given to harmless tricks. It took a fancy to a little Papuan girl who was on board, and would sit with its arms round her neck, eating biscuit with her. It was of an inquisitive nature, running up the rigging, and watching from its elevated position a passing vessel, and remaining there until the ship was out of sight. In temper it was rather uncertain, and apt to fly into a passion if opposed in any wish. When thus excited, it would fling itself down, just like a naughty, spoiled child, roll about the deck with great contortion of limbs and face, strike at everything which came in its way, and scream incessantly, with a sound like “ Ra! ra! ra!” It had a strange predilection for ink, and in order to procure this remarkable dainty, would drain the ink-bottle whenever there was an opportunity of so doing, or suck the pens in default of the liquid itself. Being itself destitute of a tail, and feeling no fear of reprisals in that direction, the Siamang used to make very free with the tails of some monkeys that lived on board of the same vessel. Catching an unfortunate monkey by its caudal appendage, away went Ungka, as the ape was named, dragging the monkey after him along the deck, until the wretched animal writhed itself free from its tormentor. At another time, Ungka would carry the monkey by the tail up the rigging, in spite of its squeaks and struggles, and then quietly let it drop. It was sensitive to ridicule; and when its feelings were hurt, it used to inflate its throat until it resembled a huge wen, and looked seriously at the offenders, uttering hollow barks at intervals. This sound seemed to be used for the purpose of expressing uritation. Anger was expressed by the shrieking “Ra! ra!” and pleasure by a kind of mixture between a squeak and a chirp. For the account of this animal we are indebted to Mr. Bennett, who has related many other traits indicative of its character. Sir S. Raffles possessed several specimens of this ape, and describes them as being social in their manners, and of an intelligent nature. Although they were powerful animals, they were gentle, and showed themselves to be pleased with the society of those persons to whom they were attached. THE GIBBONS. ALTHOUGH in their physical characters the GrBBoNs bear much resemblance to the apes which have already been described, yet there are some peculiarities in form and anatomy which show them to be a link of transition between the great apes, and the lesser monkeys and baboons. They possess, although in a small degree, those singular callosities on the hinder quarters which are so conspicuous in the baboon family, and assume such strange THE LAR GIBBON. 33 tints. The gorilla, chimpansee, and the orangs, are entirely destitute of these pecu- lharities, but ‘the Gibbons are found to possess them, although the callosities are very small, and hidden by the fur from a casual view. As in the great apes, the arms of the Gibbons are of enormous leneth, and endowed with exceeding power of muscle, though the strength which resides in these largely developed limbs is of a different character. If the gigantic and powerful gorilla be compared to Hercules, then the light and active Gibbons may find their type in Mercury, the swift aerial messenger of the Olym- pian deities. The ponderous weight of the larger apes binds them to earth ; and even the orangs, which are more active than the chimpansee, are no very great adepts at leaping through ereat intervals of space. But the Gibbons seem to pass nearly as much time in the air as on the branches, shooting from one resting-place to another, with such rapid movements, that the eye can hardly follow their course—the very swallows of the monkey race. THE LAR GIBBON.—AHylébates Lar. From their wonderful agility in flinging themselves from branch to branch, or from tree to tree, naturalists have given to these animals the generic name of hylobates, signifying, “tree traverser.” And carrying out the mythological comparison which has just been mentioned, the name Lar has been attributed to this species. According to the legends of antiquity, it appears that a very beautiful and very loquacious Naiad, named Lara, indiscreetly acquainted Juno with one of the many causes for jealousy for which her husband gave occasion. Jupiter, being greatly incensed at her conduct, deprived her of the offending tongue, and sent her off to Hades under the charge of Mercury. That faithless messenger, however, found that pity melted the heart to love, and instead of obeying the order of his master, became enamoured of the beautiful criminal, saved her from the punishment to which she had been destined, and married her instead of delivering her to Pluto. From this union sprang the Lares, twin demigods, who took on themselves the guardianship of domestic hearths, and the peace of families. The Romans symbolised these protecting deities under the form of monkeys clothed with the skins of dogs, and placed their images around the hearths which they protected, and behind the doors which they guarded from evil. 1. D ok THE LAR GIBBON. These children of the eloquent and swift deity, Mercury, and the Naiad offspring of the waters, were supposed to combine the space-traversing attributes of both parents, and so the name of “Lar” is sufficiently appropriate for this most agile of animals. The derivation of the name Gibbon is rather doubtful, although it is of great antiquity. The opinion which seems to be most in accordance with probability i is, that the term is a corruption of Kophin, a Chaldaic word, signifying an ape. Delachamp thinks that it may be derived from Aezpos, which in Strabo’s version of the well-known word MKephos, signifies an ape or monkey. The difficulty in the latter case appears to be that the Keipon resides in Ethiopia, while the Gibbons are Asiatic animals. The present species is sometimes called the “ White-handed Gibbon,” because the hands and feet are of a much paler tint than the rest of the body and limbs. There are slight differences in the colour of the fur in different individuals, but the prevailing tint is a darkish brown, changing to a creamy hue about the hands, and the face is quite black. Some specimens have the fur nearly black, while others assume a whitish tint along the throat and abdomen, and several specimens have the fur of the hind quarters rather paler than that of the remainder of the body. In all the Gibbons, the hair is thicker and finer than in any of the preceding animals. It is short, being only an inch or so in length, and has more of a woolly appearance than is seen in most of the monkey tribe. Many animals exhibit great differences of form and colour in the various periods of life, and in the two sexes. It has often happened that the greatest confusion has been caused by these changes of form, so that the young, and the two sexes of an animal have been described as several distinct species. We are the more liable to error when we cannot watch the entire development of the creature, and therefore such animals as the monkey tribes are very embarrassing to the systematic naturalist. The Lar Gibbon seems to be one of these animals, and is probably identical with the Little Gibbon ; this latter animal appears to be only a smaller specimen than usual, and its disparity of colour to be of little importance. The proportions are precisely the same as those of the Lar Gibbon, and although the general tints are so unlike those of the Gibbons as to earn from Cuvier the name of “ Variegated Orang,” yet we have already seen that the tint of the fur is extremely capricious, and can form no true criterion, unless accompanied by other distinctions. The Lar, or White-handed Gibbon is an inhabitant of Malacca and Siam. On looking at a living specimen of this animal, or indeed at any of the same genus, the hands are seen to differ much from those of the large apes, and especially in the shape and direction of the thumb. As we have already seen, the thumb of the chimpansee is very large, and is so formed that it can be opposed to the fingers in order to grasp any object between them. But the thumb of these tree-traversing apes is comparatively small, is hardly opposable to the fingers, and is placed in the same direction as the fingers themselves. Moreover, the bones of the hand are so formed, that the thumb appears to take its origin from. the wrist, and not to be set on after the usual manner. Sometimes it is found that the first and second fingers of the hinder paws or hands are fixed together. The reason of this arrangement is evident to anyone who has practised gymnastic exercises. In order to grasp a pole in the firmest manner, and with the least expenditure of strength, the fingers must be set close to each other, the thumb placed against the forefinger, and the hand hooked over the pole. In this position the muscles of the fore-arm are not subjected to the exhausting grasp of the thumb, and the power of the limbs is applied in precisely the right direction. So it is with these apes, the most accomplished ; eymnasts in the world. If a monkey be watched while dancing about the bars and poles of his cage (not on hanging ropes, for then the thumb is wanted), it will be seen that the animal seldom or never grasps a horizontal bar, except occasionally with the hinder paws. The hands are always just hooked over the bars, and by their aid the animal flings itself from one place to another, using the grasp of the hinder feet to check itself when it wishes to sit still for a time. THE AGILE GIBBON, 35 This mode of employing the two sets of limbs is well shown in the Gibbons, and in order to fit them in the best manner for their arboreal existence, the thumb of the fore-hands is found to be almost destitute of the muscular prominence which is popularly known as the “ball” of the thumb, is therefore incapable of grasping, and can only follow the direction of the fingers; while the corresponding member on the hinder hands is very large and powerful in proportion. All the Gibbons are gifted with voices as powerful as their limbs, and the creatures seem to lose few opportunities of exercising lungs or limbs. The cry which these animals utter is a singular one, loud, and piercing, and has been represented by the syllables “wou-wou,” which duplex combination of intonations is often used as a general name common to the whole family. Some writers express the sound by the words “oa-oa,” and others as “woo-woo,” among which the reader is left to choose. The several species of Gibbon do not seem to inhabit the same localities, although they all, without an exception, live among trees. Some reside among the mountainous ranges and their forests of fir-trees, while others prefer the lower regions of the wooded plains and valleys. All, however, agree in their exceeding activity and noisy voices, thus proving themselves in every way to be worthy types of their mythological lineage. All animals which are destined to move with great rapidity, bear a sure sign of their destiny in the configuration of their bodies. Active exertions cause the heart to beat so fiercely, and the blood to circulate with such rapidity, that a provision must be made to give the blood a sufficiency of air to refresh it after its hard labour. This can only be done by the gift of very large lungs with plenty of room for their free action. Accordingly, the frames of all swift animals are found to be made on a similar model, although necessarily modified according to the description of animal. Thus, among the well-known living creatures with which all are familiar, we may cite the greyhound and the racehorse. Or if we turn to the birds, the falcons and swallows are good examples of this formation of body. The chest and fore-part of the body are wide and capacious, in order to accommodate the large lungs which are necessary for the creature. The limbs which aid the progress “of the animal, whether it be bird or beast, are very largely developed, while the subordinate parts of the body and limbs are reduced to the smallest size compatible with the well- being of their possessor. A greyhound in proper health, and ready for the course, has not an ounce of superabundant weight about it; neither has the racehorse when at the post. So with the falcons and swallows, until we come to the hummine-birds, which exhibit this modification of limb and body in singular perfection. The Gibbons are formed on a model of a similar nature, their enormously long arms and_ broad shoulders contrasted with the smaller hinder limbs and thin flank showing that they are capable of rapid movement, while the deep and capacious chest gives indication that they can endure a lone con- tinuance of labcur without being exhausted by it. Of the habits of the Gibbons in a wild state, very little is known, as they are shy in their nature, and by means of their wonderful agility escape among the trees ina manner that baftles pursuit or observation. As to the species which is represented AGILE GIBBON.—Hylébates Agilis. in the accompanying engraving, it seems to be the most active of this agile family, and well deserves the name that has been given to it. Rather more has been noticed of this wonderful creature, and a further insight into its habits has been gained by means of a female specimen, which was captured and brought safely to London, where it lived for some time. p2 36 THE AGILE GIBBON. In their native woods, these animals are most interesting to the observer, if he is only fortunate enough to get near them without being seen by the vigilant creatures. A good telescope affords an excellent mode of watching the customs of animals that are too timid to permit a human being to come near their haunts. When startled, the Agile Gibbon flits at once to the top of the tree, and then, seizing the branch that seems best adapted to its purpose, it swings itself once or twice to gain an impetus, and launches itself through the air like a stone from a sling, gaining its force very much on the same principle. Seizing another branch, towards which it had aimed itself, and which it reaches with unerring certainty, the creature repeats the process, and flings itself with ease through distances of thirty or forty feet, flying along as if by magic. Those who have seen "it urging its flight over the trees, have compared its actions and appearance to those of a bird. Indeed, these creatures seem to pass a life that is more aerial than that of many birds, putting out of question the heavy earth-walking birds which have not the power to raise themselves from the eround, even if they had the will. The colour of this species is extremely variable, and as may be seen by reference to the figure, the offspring is not necessarily of the same colour as the parent. This difference in tint is not solely caused by age, for it frequently happens that a cream- coloured mother has a dark infant, and vice verséd. Of the specimens in the British Museum, hardly any two are alike in the tint of their soft woolly fur. Some are nearly black, some are brown, and some are of a lght cream colour. It is worthy of remark that one of the black specimens was brought from the Himalayas; the brown and the cream-coloured examples being from 1] Malacca. The natives of Sumatra, where the Agile Gibbon is found in the greatest plenty, eall 1t the Ungka-puti, or sometimes Ungka-etam. Sometimes the Siamang goes by the same name of Ungka, being called the Black Ungka Ape. The singularly active manners of this animal were exhibited by the ape aboye- mentioned as being a visitor to our shores. A large apartment was prepared for it, and branches set up at some distance from each other, so as to give it as much room as possible for its wonderful evolutions. Eighteen feet appears to have been the farthest distance between the branches, and this space was cleared with consummate ease, as would probably be the case with an animal which was accustomed to launch itself through a space nearly double the eighteen feet. The animal, however, was hindered by many drawbacks. Putting aside the disadvantages of a strange climate and the want of the usual food, she had been subjected to the inconvenience of a long sea voyage, had suffered from confinement ‘and the deprivation of its natural atmosphere. Even with all these drawbacks, the Gibbon exhibited such singular feats of agility, that the spectators were lost in astonishment. She was accustomed to fling herself, without the least warning or apparent pre- paration, from the branch on which she might be sitting, towards another branch, which she invariably succeeded in catching with her outstretched hand. From branch to branch the Gibbon would continue her flight, for so it might be aptly termed, without cessation, until checked. The most curious part of the performance was, that she did not seem to require any further impulse after her first swing, but was content just to touch the branches as she passed from one to the other. So easy was this exercise, and of such quick eye and hand was the animal possessed, that the spectators were accustomed to amuse themselves by throwing fruits or other objects in the air, which she would adroitly catch as she passed along, without thinking it needful to stop for that purpose, Swift as was its flight, the equilibrice powers of the animal were so perfect, that even in its most rapid course it could arrest itself in a moment, catching a branch with the hands, and then suddenly drawing up the hinder feet to the same level. The firm grasp of the hinder feet then came ‘into play, and the creature sat on the branch as quietly as if it had never stirred, Some idea of the proportion of limbs and body of this ape may be gained by contrasting them with those of the human form. An ordinary man, when standing THE SILVERY GIBBON. 37 erect, permitting the arms to hang freely by his sides, finds that the tips of his fingers reach to the middle of the thigh. But when the Gibbon assumes the erect attitude, its finger-tips reach as far as the ankle-joint. Again, if a well-proportioned man stands perfectly erect, and stretches his arms out in a horizontal direction, the distance between the extended finger-tips is as nearly as possible equal to the height of the body, measured from the top of the head to the ground. But if the Agile Gibbon extends its limbs in a similar manner, the measurement between the fingers is just double that of the entire height of the animal. On account of this great preponderance of the arms over the legs, the Agile Gibbon is not a very good walker on its hinder feet, but waddles along in an awkw ard fashion. While thus employed, the animal sways its long arms as balancers after the fashion of a rope-dancer, and now and then helps itself along the level surface with the hands on the ground. The Gibbon, though so marvelously light and active among trees, is totally out of its element when it is deprived of the. branches, and forced to traverse the flat ground. All its elegance and exquisite address are lost, and the creature becomes as “clumsy as it was formerly graceful. “A swan while awkwardly hobbling over dry land, with a gait like that of a lame Silenus, affords no greater contrast to the same bird when proudly sailing on the water with arched neck and gliding movement, than does the Gibbon when stranded on unfamiliar earth to the same animal disporting itself among the congenial branches. This species does not appear to love society as much as do many of the apes and monkeys, but lives in pairs, contented with the society of its own family. The voice of this ape is of a very peculiar character, and its powers are put forth with the greatest intensity while the animal is performing its wonderful feats of agility. The time of day seems to have some influence upon the creature and its cry, for in its native state the Gibbon is most noisy in the early mornings,—the loud, strange cry being probably a call-note to its companions. Even in the open air, this call-note is exceedingly loud, and can be heard at great distances, so that when the animal is confined in a room, and exerts its voice, the ears of the bystanders suffer somewhat from its deafening resonance, In themselves, the notes of this curious ery are rather musical than otherwise, but they are uttered with such vigour, that they become painful to the ears. To judge by the ery of the female Gibbon, it is quite a musical performance, capable of being set to musical notes, and coming to an abrupt conclusion, by a couple of barks in octaves. The animal achieves the chromatic scale admirably, effecting the descent (no easy task even to the practised human vocalist) with a precision and rapidity that renders the vocal gymnastics as remarkable as those of the limbs. The note on which the creature began was E; and starting from this note, she began a series of chromaties, first ascending to the upper octave, and then descending in the same way, but always sounding the lower E almost simultaneously with the upper note, whatever that note might ‘be. These musical efforts seemed to excite the creature greatly, for her whole frame appeared strung to a pitch of great intensity, her body dilated and quivered with excitement while she uttered her rapid cry, and at its conclusion she shook with all her strength the object to which she was clinging. This individual was pleasing in manners, gentle and caressing to those whom she favoured. With delicate discrimination, she at once admitted ladies into her confidence, and would come to them voluntarily, shake hands, and permit herself to be stroked. But when gentlemen tried to gain her affection, she deliberated on the matter, and did not allow of a nearer*acquaintance without further investigation. But when her scruples were once overcome, she was perfectly affectionate and confiding. The StnvErY GiIBBoN derives its name from the silver-grey colour which generally pervades the fur. In some parts of the body, however, there is a browner tinge, and the face and palms of the hands are quite black. The sides of the face are covered with white, furry hair, which is so plentiful, that although the ears are tolerably large, they are nearly hidden among the luxuriant hairy fringe that encircles the head. The eyes of this ‘and of the other Gibbons are deeply sunk in the head. The size of the Silvery Gibbon is 38 THE SILVERY GIBBON. little different from that of Gibbons generally, the adult animal measuring about three feet or so in height. Active, as are all its relatives, it lives among the branches and tall SILVERY GIBBON.—AHylébates Leuciscus. canes of the Malaccas, and displays in these congenial habitations the same sportive agility that is so peculiar to the Gibbons. A very different group of animals now comes before us, separated even by the outer form from the apes. The chief distinction which strikes the eye, is the presence of a tail, which is of some length, and in several species, among which we may mention the SrimPat itself, is extremely long and slender in proportion to the body. The arms of these animals are not of that imordinate length which is seen in the limbs of the apes, but are delicate and SIMPAI.—Presby‘es Melalophos. well proportioned. The hinder paws, or hands, are extremely slender, their thumbs being short, and, as will be seen by reference to the engraving, are twice the length of the fore-paws. Some of these monkeys are fur- nished with small cheek-pouches, while others appear to be destitute of these natural pockets. The cal- losities of the hinder quarters are well shown. In this group of the Quadrumana, the characteristics of the apes disap- pear, and the anfmals betray more clearly their quadrupedal nature. Very seldom do they assume the erect attitude, preferrmg to run on all fours like a dog, that being their legitimate mode of progression. Even when they do stand on their hind feet, the long tail at once deprives them of that grotesque semblance of the human form, which is so painfully exhibited in the tail-less THE SIMPAI AND ENTELLUS. 89 apes. Besides these external distinctions, there are many remarkable peculiarities in the anatomy of the internal organs, which also serve to settle the position of the animal in the order of nature. Among these internal organs, the stomach displays the most remarkable construction, being very large, and divided into compartments that bear some resemblance to those in the stomach of ruminating annals. These monkeys are distributed through sev eral parts of the world, the Simpai making its residence in Sumatra. This is a beautiful little animal, and is pleasmg both for elegance of shape, and the contrasting tints with which its fur is decorated. The prevailing colour of the body is a light chestnut, with a perceptible golden tinge, showing itself when the light falls obliquely on the fur, The inside of the limbs and the abdomen are not so bright as the rest of the body, but take a most sober tint of grey. At the top of the head the hair is straight, and is set on nearly perpendicularly, so as to form a narrow crest. The colour of the crest, together with that of a narrow band running over the eyes and temples, is black. From this conspicuous peculiarity, the Simpai is also called the Black-crested Monkey. The name Presbytes signifies an old man, and is given to these monkeys on account of the wizened, old-fashioned aspect of their countenances. The term “melalo- phos” is literally “black-crested,” and therefore a very appropriate name for this species. The length of this animal, measured from the nose to the root of the tail, is about twenty inches, and that of the tail itself is not very far from three feet. Its fur is very soft and glossy. Several allied species are rather celebrated among furriers for the beauty of their natural garments, and suffer much from the hunters. A well-known example, the Negro Monkey, sometimes called the Moor, or the Budeng (Presbijtes Maura), furnishes the long black monkey-fur that is put to so many uses. Jet black as is the long silky fur of an adult Budeng, it is of a very different colour when the creature is young. The fur of the very young Negro Monkey is of a yellowish red colour, and the black tint appears first on the hands, whence it spreads up the arms, across the shoulders, and by degrees creeps over the whole body. It is a native of Java, and is a gregarious animal, being found in troops of fifty or more in number, and extremely noisy on the approach of a human being. In temper it is said to be morose and sulky, so that, in spite of its beautiful coat, it is seldom domesticated. In such a case a bad temper must be a positive blessing to a monkey. Not only for the skins are these monkeys valuable. Their teeth are in some favour for the composition of ornaments, being pierced and curiously strung together. There is another substance which is furnished by some individuals among this group of monkeys, but is not always found in them. This is the bezoar, a substance which was long in high esteem for the cure of disease, and even now is used for that purpose by the physicians of the East. The word bezoar is originally “bad-zahr,” or poison- expeller, and was applied to this substance as it was supposed to possess extraordinary virtue in destroying the effects of poison, whether administered internally, or applied to the bite of serpents, or the wounds caused by poisoned weapons. The bezoars are concretions, chiefly of phosphate of lime, which are found in the stomachs of many ruminating animals, the most Valuable being those of the Persian wild goat.. So highly valued were the last, that they were sold for ten times their weight in gold. Those of the Asiatic monkeys are considered the most valuable of all the bezoars, as, although small in size, they are powerful in quality. It is a somewhat remarkable circumstance that these monkeys, with their approximation to the ruminant stomach, should produce the same description of substance that was formerly thought to be the special property of the ruminating animals. A well-known example of this group of monkeys is the HooNUMAN, or ENTELLUS. This is a considerably larger animal than the Simpai, as the adult Hoonuman measures three or four feet from the nose to the root of the tail, and the tail itself rather exceeds the body in length. The colour of this monkey when young is a greyish brown, excepting a dark brown line along the back and over the loins. As the animal increases 40 THE ENTELLUS in years, the fur darkens in colour, chiefly by means of black hairs that are inserted at intervals. The face, hands, and feet are black. It is a native of India, and fortunately for itself, the mythological religion is so closely connected with it that it lives in perfect security. Monkeys are never short- sighted in spying out an advantage, and the Entellus monkeys are no exception to the rule, Feeling themselves masters of the situation, and knowing full well that they will not be punished for any delinquency, they take up their position in a village with as much complacency as if they had built it themselves. They parade the streets, they mix on equal terms with the inhabitants, they clamber over the houses, they frequent the shops, especially those of the ‘pastrycooks and fruit-sellers, keeping their proprietors constantly on the watch. Reverencing the monkey too much to afford active resistance to his depredations, the shopkeepers have recourse to passive means, and by covering the roofs of their shops with thorn-bushes, deprive the thieving deity of his chief point of vantage. Let it not ans be matter of wonder that a thief can be a god, resby tes Entellus. + sys for even the civilised Romans acknowledged Mercury to be the god of thieves, and they only borrowed their mythology from a much more ancient source. Certainly the Hoonuman gives practical proof of his claims to be the representative of such a deity ; for he possesses four hands with which to steal, and neglects no opportunity of using them all. Conscious of the impropriety of its behaviour, the monkey does not steal anything while the proprietor is looking at it, but employs various subtle stratagems in order to draw off the owner's attention while it filches his goods. Many ludicrous anecdotes of such crafty tricks are known to everyone who has visited India, and employed his eyes. The banyan-tree is the favoured habitation of these monkeys ; and among its many branches they play strange antics, undisturbed by any foes excepting snakes, These reptiles are greatly dreaded by the monkeys, and with good reason. However, it is said that the monkeys kill many more snakes in proportion to their own loss, and do so with a curiously refined cruelty. A snake may be coiled among the branches of the banyan, fast asleep, when it is spied by a Hoonuman. After satisfying himself that the reptile really is sleeping, the monkey steals upon it noiselessly, grasps it by the neck, tears it from the branch, and hurries to the ground. He then runs to a flat stone, and begins to grind down the reptile’s head upon it, grinning and chattering with delight ‘at’ the writhings and useless strugeles of the tortured sné ike, and occasionally inspecting his work to see how it is progressing. When he has rubbed away the poor animal’s jaws, so as to deprive it of its poison-fangs, he holds great rejoicings over his helpless foe, and tossing it to the young monkeys, looks complacently at its destruction. Besides the reverence in which this animal is held through its deification, it has other claims to respect through the doctrine of metempsychosis, or the transmigration of souls through the various forms of animal life. From the semblance of human form which is borne by the monkeys, their frames were supposed to be the shrines of human souls that had nearly reached perfection, and thereby made their habitations royal. Therefore, to insult the Hoonuman is considered to be a crime equivalent to that of insulting one of the royal family, while the murder of a monkey is high treason, and punished by instant death. Many times have enthusiastic naturalists, or thoughtless “ griffs,” en- dangered their lives by wounding or killing one of these sacred beings. The report of such a sacrilegious offence is enough to raise the whole population in arms against the offender ; and those very men who study cruelty as a science, and will inflict the keenest tortures on their fellow-beings without one feeling of compunction—who will leaye an THE PROBOSCIS MONKEY. 4] infirm companion to perish from hunger and thirst, or the more merciful claws of the wild beasts, will be outraged in their feelings because a monkey has been wounded. The hunters in India find these animals to be useful auxiliaries in some cases, though tiresome in the main. They collect on boughs when a tiger or similar animal of prey passes under them, and often serve to point out to the hunter the whereabouts of the quarry. A tree thus covered with monkeys is a curious sight ; for the boughs are studded with them as thickly as fruit, and the pendent tails give an rabsurd appearance to the group. Although each part of every animal must be formed with some definite object, there are many which seem to be devoid of use, and among them is the monkey’s tail. Some of the monkeys—the spider-monkeys of America, for example—find in their tail a most useful member, by means of which they can suspend themselves from boughs, aid their limbs in tree-climbing, or, on an emergency, pick an object out of a erevice which the hand could not enter. But the use of the tails belonging to these old- world monkeys does seem to be very obscure. Some writers have opined that the tails are intended to balance the body in the various attitudes assumed by its owner. But when we reply that the Gibbons, although very much more agile, and, from their very form, requiring more balancing than the monkeys, yet are totally devoid of tails, this supposition falls to the ground. It cannot be for the purpose of flapping away flies that these animals are furnished with such long and slender tails, for their shape renders them useless for that occupation ; and, besides, the hands of the monkey are much better fly-flappers than its tail could possibly be. The question arises, “ What does the monkey do with his tail ?” Answer. He nibbles it sometimes, when he is at a loss for occupation. It is a curious fact that—at all events in captivity—the long-tailed monkeys will eat their tails, and nothing seems to deter them from this strange act. The tips of those members have been covered with plaisters, and have been tied up in bandages, but without effect. The ends of the tails have been treated with aloes, cayenne pepper, and other disagreeable substances, just as the finger-tips of a nail-biting child are dressed. But, though the creature splutters and makes strange grimaces at the horrid flavours that greet his palate, he cannot refrain from the accustomed luxury, and perseveres in his nibbling. One great charm of this habit seems to be the excitement felt by the monkey in trying how far he can nibble without smarting for it. Whatever may be the cause, the effect is that the tail is gradually eaten up, in spite of all endeavours to prevent such a consum- mation. Considered in a social light, the tails are calculated to promote the merriment of the company, for they are admirable handles for practical jokes, and afford mutual amusement, not unmingled with indignation. The Proposcis MONKEY, or KAHAU, as it is sometimes called, on account of its cry bearing some resemblance to that word, is an inhabitant of Borneo, and probably of several neighbouring countries. It is, as may be seen by the engraving, an animal of very unattractive features, principally on account of its enormously lengthened nose. This feature does not present itself in perfection until the Kahau has reached its maturity. When the animal is very young, there are but few indications of the singular length to which thisfeature will attain ; for, although it is rather more prominent than in most of the monkeys, it is rather of that description of nose denominated “ retroussé.” In size, the Kahau is about equal to the hoonuman, and seems to be an active animal, leaping from branch to branch, through distances of fifteen feet or more. The KAHAU.—Presbjtes Larvétus. natives assert, that while leaping they take their noses in their hands, in order to guard that feature from being damaged by contact with branches. Whether this refinement of caution be true or not, it is certain that they do hold their outstretched hands in a manner unlike that of the generality of monkeys, and probably for the purpose just mentioned. 42 URSINE AND BLACK COLOBUS. These monkeys are fond of society, assembling together in large troops, and howling with exceeding fervour. They observe hours, regulating themselves by the sun, at whose rising and setting they congregate together, and perform their arborial gymnastics. For the preternatural ugliness of the countenance, the Kahau is partially compensated by the beautiful colouring of its fur, which is thick, but not woolly, nor very long. The principal colour in the body is a bright chestnut red; the sides of the face, part of the shoulders, and the under parts of the body being of a golden yellow. A rich brown tint is spread over the head and between the shoulders; the arms and legs taking a whiter tinge than the shoulders. The nostrils of this creature do not at all resemble those of man, although the animal’s nose seems to be a burlesqued edition of the corresponding feature of the human countenance. They are placed quite at the extremity of the nose, and are separated from each other by a very thin cartilage. They are therefore, as has been observed in a former page, quite devoid of that expressive character which is so strongly exhibited in the contour of the human nostril. We will pass on to more pleasing animals; but before taking leave of this group of monkeys we must observe that they are hardly deserving of the title “Slow Monkeys,” which has been applied to them. They sit quietly on the branches, with their tails hanging down, and their bodies gathered together; but they only need some exciting cause to make them throw off their seeming apathy. They then spring from branch to branch, flinging themselves towards their mark with wonderful precision, and are all life and enerey. URSINE COLOBUS.—Célobus\ Ursinus, BLACK COLOBUS.—Célobus Sdtanas. THE COLOBUS. THE scientific name which is given to this genus of monkeys, explains—as is the proper office of names—one of the leading peculiarities of the animals. The title “Colobus” is a Greek word, signifying “stunted,” or “maimed,” and is given to these animals because the thumbs of the two fore-limbs give but little external indication of their presence, so that the hand consists merely of four fingers. They are exclusively African animals. They are rather handsome creatures, and their hair is sufticiently long and silky to be valuable as a fur. THE GUEREZA. 45 The Ursine, or Bear-like Colobus, is so named because the general colour of its long black fur, and the form of the monkey itself, with the exception of the tail, has some- thing of the bearish aspect. The cheeks and chin of this animal are covered with white hair; there is a white patch on the hind legs; and, with the exception of a few inches at its root, which retain the black hue of the body, the tail is of a beautiful white, termi- nated with a long and full white tuft. Another species, called the Full-maned Colobus, is rather a remarkable animal, not so much on account of its habits, of which little is known, but on account of the huge mass of long hairs which cover the head and shoulders, falling nearly as low as the middle of the breast. The colour of this mane, or “full-bottomed peruke,” as it has also been called, is yellow, with black hairs intermixed. Like the Ursine Colobus, the Full-mane possesses a tail of a white colour, decorated with a snowy-white tuft. The Black Colobus is devoid of those exquisitely white portions of the fur that are so strongly marked in the Ursine and the Full-maned Colobus. The head, body, limbs, and even the tail, are jet black, unrelieved by any admixture of a lighter tint. This uniform black hue of the long glossy fur, has earned for the animal the demoniacal title which will be found appended to the figure. Beside the sable garments that are conventionally attributed to the powers of darkness, the animal in question is probably in part indebted for its name to the black crest, that projects over the forehead and eyes with so pert and impish an air. GUEREZA.—Colobus Gueréza. Our last example of this genus is the beautifully adorned GurrrzA. This monkey presents a singulat example of contrast in colours. The back, shoulders, the crown of the head, the limbs, and part of the tail, are black. But along the sides, the black hairs have hardly run a fifth of their course, when they suddenly become of a pure white. This change is not effected by a gradual melting of the black into white, but the line of demarcation is clearly defined. There is also a fringe of white hairs that encircles the cheeks, and becoming suddenly very narrow, runs across the forehead, just above the eyes, and is boldly contrasted with the black face and black scalp. The tail ends in a whitish tuft, but not so large as that of the Ursine Colobus, nor so purely white. 44 GRIVET, GREEN MONKEY, AND VERVET. Very little is known of the habits of this animal, but it is said to be a gentle creature, feeding on insects as well as on the usual vegetable food for monkeys. It is a native of Abyssinia, and its name “ Guereza” is its Abyssinian title. The beauty of its fur causes it to be much sought after by the natives of the country, who make its skin into coverings for the curiously shaped shields which they bear. The white fringe is the part th at is chiefly valued, and its appearance on a shield points out at once a person of distinction in its bearer. GRIVET. GREEN MONKEY, VERVET. Cercopithécus Engythtthia. Cercopithécus Sabeus. Cercopithécus Pygerythrus, We now arrive at a group of small monkeys, with exceedingly long names. The term “ Cercopithécus ” is composed from two Greek words, signifying “ tailed < ape.” The monkeys belonging to this genus are very abundant in their native forests, and the unfortunate peripatetic monkeys that parade the streets in tormenting company with barrel organs, or seated on the backs of dejected and pensive bears, are mostly members of this group. The first glance at one of these monkeys will detect a peculiar sheen of the fur, that bewilders the eye and conceals the precise colour. If, however, the hairs are examined separately, each hair will be found to be varied in colour several times, black and yellow being the principal colours. First the hair will be black for a part of its length, then yellow, then black again, and go on to the tip. As the black has something of a bluish tinge in it, the mixture of the yellow and blue gives an undefined ereenish hue, which in the central figure of the engraving is so decided, as to cause the name of Green Monkey to be given to the animal. The Cercopitheci are remarkable for the singularly large development of the cheek pouches, which seem to possess an ulimitable power of extension, and to accumulate a strange medley of articles. Supply one of these monkeys with nuts or biscuit, and he will contrive to put the greater part of the food into his cheek pouches, only eating a small portion at the time. I never knew but one instance when the pouches were quite full, and even then the monkey was a small one, and the nuts were large. The little creature was liberally gifted with nuts, with the special purpose of ascertaining the capabilities of the pouches, and after dilating its cheeks to a wonderful extent with large “cob” nuts, it was at last compelled to empty them into its hands. These pouches have been aptly compared to the stomach of a ruminant aninal, and are employed in much the same manner. By means of the possession of these natural cupboards, the monkey is enabled to make little incursions, to eat as much food as hunger demands, and to carry away sufficient nourishment for one or two meals more, without being embarrassed in its retreat by its burden. It is worth notice that the word “ monkey ” is derived from the name of one of this group, the Mona. The diminutive of Mona is Monikin, the transition from which word to our “monkey” is sufficiently evident. GRIVET, GREEN MONKEY, AND VERVET. 45 The GrIvEtT, or Tora, as it is called by some writers, is of a sombre green colour; the green being produced, as has been already mentioned, by the black and yellow hair. The limbs and tail are of a ereyer tint than the rest of the body, the yellow portion of the hair being changed to a dull white. The inside of the limbs and the abdomen are shehtly tinged w ith white. In the male animal the canine teeth are rather protuberant, showing themselves beyond the lips. The naked skin of the face, ears, and palms, is black, dashed with that deep violet hue that is found in so many of the monkeys. At each side of the head, the white hairs stand out boldly, whisker fashion, and give a very lively character to the head. It is an African animal, and common in Abyssinia. The centre of the group is occupied by the GREEN MONKEY, sometimes called the Callithrix, or Beautiful-haired Monkey, on account of the exquisitely delicate marking of each separate hair. The inside of the limbs is nearly white, as is the under surface of the body, and the outer side of the limbs takes a greyish tinge. The hairy fringe that grows over the side of the face is of a delicate golden yellow. This monkey is a native of Senegal and the neighbouring parts, and is frequently brought to this country. The VERVET is the last of the figures. This is rather a variable animal in point of colour, some specimens being decidedly pale, while others assume a blackish hue. In general, the colour of the animal is as follows. The prevailing tint of the fur is much the same as that of the Grivet, to which animal the Vervet bears a strong resemblance. The head, the throat, and breast, are of a light dun, the paws being very ‘dark. In the male Vervet the canines are rather long, and show their points beyond the lips. These little animals are extremely abundant in their native land, and in Senegal especially are seen among the branches in immense troops. They seem to feel their own dignity as masters of the wood, and are agerieved by the intrusion of human beings into their special domains. They are so agile and swift in their movements, and withal so quick of sight, that they almost invariably descry an intruder before themselves are visible. There may be hundreds of little heads peering through the branches of the very tree under which the traveller is seated, and double the number of sharp little eyes glittering among the foliage; but their owners are so lithe and cautious, that their presence remains undiscovered until they choose to announce themselves in their own fashion. Monkeys have their code of etiquette as well as men; and, as they do not possess cards, the correct mode in which a monkey announces its presence to a human visitor is by dropping a piece of stick upon him. Perhaps he may consider the stick to be only a twig fallen in the course of nature, and so take no notice of it. Down comes another stick, and if that does not cause him to look up, several more are let fall upon him until his attention is drawn to the assembly in the branches. This point having been gained, the next object is to let the intruder know that his company is undesirable, and that the sooner he takes his departure the more agreeable it will be for all parties. That the long-tailed party are averse to so big an animal without an inch of tail, is clearly shown by the angry chattering that is set up, and the double rows of white and sharp teeth that are freely exhibited ; and that the position of the objectionable individual will become anything but agreeable, js practically proved by the riot among the branches, which are shaken with noisy violence, the constant cries and chattering, and the shower of sticks and various missiles that pour upon him from above. Whether the object of their dislike be armed or not, seems to make but little difference to these tetchy animals. Should he retreat from so unpleasant a proximity, well and good—they have achieved their point, and satisfied their pride of place. Should he retaliate, and hurl deadly leaden missiles among his persecutors in exchange for the harmless but disagreeable assaults com- mitted on himself, they sullenly receive his fire, unterrified by the fall of their slaughtered companions, and, even when wounded, continue the unequal conflict. They evidently feel themselves in the right, and refuse to abandon their position. One traveller who had been thus treated by the monkeys, killed twenty-three of the poor animals in less than an hour—not much to his credit. 46 THE POWER OF KINDNESS. ‘\ Kalling a monkey is always a pitiful business, for it is so much like an act of murder committed on a human being. Many are the travellers who, urged either by anger, curiosity, scientific researches, or innate destructiveness, have destroyed these animals, and have been so stricken by remorse at the effect of their cruelty, that they have vowed never to kill another monkey as long as they lived. There are several most touching narratives of such scenes, but they are so trying to the feelings, that I can neither bring myself to write them, nor to inflict such tragical tales on my readers. It were much to be wished that men could read the effects of their cruelty in the eyes of other animals except the monkeys, and would bind themselves never to inflict one unnecessary pang upon any living creature. Surely no wounded monkey could look at its tormentor with more pitiful eyes than those of the over-laden and over-driven ass, or even the neglected and ill-treated dog. These latter animals, too, are always with us, and need nee only the cessation of actual cruelty, but even the oift of human sympathies, before they can take their proper place in creation, and become the true servants and companions of man. It rests with man, who gave names to all living beings, to complete the work which God began in making them, and by stooping from his own superior nature, to be a protecting and loving providence to the beings that are placed under him. By 50 doing, man draws out, fosters, and develops the better nature which is inherent in every animal, and which would remain concealed, like a seed in ice-bound soil, unless it were brought into vigorous life by the genial influence of a higher being. I cannot believe that any animal is utterly untameable, and so totally brutish as to be insensible to the touch of kindness. There are many animals which are proof against the old-fashioned way of education, and which are only rendered more fierce and obshmeate by the tortures and blows which were formerly so freely bestowed on animals in course of training. But these very animals have proved to be sensitive to gentle and kind treatment, and, though fierce and savage towards one who only approached in order to torment, became docile and subdued when in the hands of a tender and sympathetic owner. The same rule holds good with human beings ; and the great and beautiful truth becomes daily more apparent, that severity of punishment has an injurious rather than a beneficial effect, and that the only true rule is that of love. The Grivets and Vervets are frequent visitors to our land; and being extremely in- quisitive in character, as well as active in body, play strange pranks im their land of exile. One of these creatures which resided in London some few years ago, caused con- siderable annoyance to his neighbours, one of whom very kindly favoured me with the following account of some of his misdemeanours. “ A few years ago, we lived next door to a lady who had a pet monkey, which was one of the most imitative and mischievous little beings that ever existed. His imitative nature caused the servants so much trouble, that he had not a friend among those of his own house. “ One day he observed the ladies’-maid washing her mistresses’ lace ; and his offers of assistance having been somewhat roughly repulsed by her, chattering and scolding he went forth in search of adventures. Unfortunately, my windows were invitingly open, and he entered, with the idea of washing fresh in his head. “ His spirit of curiosity induced him to open two small drawers, from which he ab- stracted their whole contents, consisting of lace, ribbons, and handkerchiefs. He placed these things in a foot-pan, together with all the water and soap that happened to be in the room, ‘and he must then have washed aw ay with ereat vigour; for when I returned to my room, after an absence of an hour or so, to my astonishment, I found him busily engaged in his laundry operations, spreading the torn and disfigured remnants to dry. He was well aware that he was doing wrong, for without my speaking to him, he made off the moment he saw me, going very quickly and hiding himself in the case of the kitchen clock in his own home. “ By this act, the servants knew he had been doing mischief, as this was his place of refuge when he was in trouble or disgrace. “ One day he watched the. cook while she was preparing some partridges for dinner, and T suppose that in his own mind he considered that all birds ought to be so treated, for he -. A MONKEY TRICKS. 47 managed to get into the yard where his mistress kept a few pet bantam fowls, and after robbing them of their eggs, he secured one of the poor hens, with which he proceeded to the kitchen, and then commenced plucking it. The noise that the poor bird made brought some of the servants to the rescue, but they found it in such a pitiful and bleeding state, that in mercy it was at once killed. “ After this outrageous act, Mr. Monkey was chained up, which humiliated him so much that he steadily refused his food, and soon died.” Tn their native woods these animals are very amusing if they can be watched without exciting their anger or fears. They chase one another about the branches, screaming, chattering with delight when they have succeeded in playing off a practical joke on a comrade, and anon shrieking with anger when suffering from a joke played on themselves. Not only do they chase the members of their own race, but wage a constant war against the tail-feathers of the brilliant and noisy parrots that inhabit the same country. The motives that incite the monkeys to pluck out these feathery trophies are twofold, each of them dear to the very soul of the mischievous creature. The first and most obvious motive is that of sheer mischief, but the second is of rather a more complex character. When an immature feather is recently drawn from a bird, its quill portion is generally soft, and filled with the material by which the feather is supplied with nourish- ment. The monkeys take ereat delight in sucking these soft feathers ; and in order to pro- cure a supply of this curious dainty, chase the poor parrots, even to the tops of the trees. At first sight, it would appear that the legs and arms of the monkey would have little chance of winning a prize defended by the beak and wings of the parrots, which sit exultantly screaming on twigs that bear their weight easily enough, but are too slender even for the monkeys to venture upon. But the restless vigilance and quick hand of the monkey often win the day ; and while the parrot is shrieking defiance to an enemy in front, it is suddenly startled from its fancied security by the loss of its tail, which has been snatched away by a stealthy foe from behind. The deafening din which is occasioned by the joint voices of parrots and monkeys, may be easier imagined than described. That the monkeys should take an interest in so singular a game, and should play it with such spirit, is no matter of wonder, inasmuch as they have nothing to lose in case of failure, and a pleasant little reward in case of success. But the parrots seem to be actuated by very strange motives when they consent to hazard so valuable a stake upon their own alertness ; and even if they win the game, can gain nothing but the retention of their own tails. A stroke or two of their wings would carry them beyond the reach of the most agile monkey that ever tenanted a tree; but they prefer to measure their own agility and vigilance against that of their four-handed antagonists, and often pay the penalty of so witless a pastime. Were the parrots capable of connected reasoning, they might sometimes find cause for alleviating the pangs of defeat, by vindictive satisfaction in seeing their foes succumb to a still worse fate than that which had been inflicted on themselves. If the monkey likes to suck the bleeding trophies snatched painfully from the bird’s person, there are many animals which feel a great partiality for the monkey, not as a pleasant companion, but as an agreeable article ae diet. Some of these foes, such as the leopards and snakes, have been already mentioned ; but there is one enemy who is more to be dreaded than serpent or pard, and this foe is man. Monkey flesh forms a favourite article of food with the human inhabitants of the same country, and is said to be tolerably good eating, though extremely dry and sapless. Part of this fault seems, however, to lie with the ver 4 primitive style ‘of coc kine which is pre- valent in those regions, and which is achieved by running a sharp stake through the animal’s body, and letting it roast before the fire. Europeans find a difficulty in accustoming themselves to the sight of broiled monkey ; for it presents an appearance so unpleasantly suggestive of a toasted child, that horrid ideas of cannibalism arise in the mind, and even a stomach sharpened by hunger revolts from the unsightly banquet. The well-known Mona monkey belongs to the same genus as the foregoing animals. All the long-tailed African monkeys are termed Monas “by the Moors. On account of 48 THE MONA. its green, maroon, grey, and white fur, it is sometimes called the Variegated Monkey. Little is known of its habits in a state of nature, and accounts of its captive character vary as much as is usually found in similar cases. On the authority of one writer, who speaks from personal experience, we are told that the adult Mona is savage and irritable ; while another, who also writes from personal observation, tells us that the Mona is gentle, and devoid of petulance or malice, its excellent disposition remaining unaltered by age. One of these animals, which passed several years in Europe, was remarkable for its amiable temper ; and although by no means free from the little mischievous and pilfering habits that are so inextricably interwoven in the monkey nature, was so quiet and gentle as to be left at perfect liberty. He was an adept at unlocking boxes and examining r their contents, could unravel the intricacies of a knot, and was possessed of a hand dexterous and nimble at picking pockets. The last-named occupation seemed to afford peculiar gratification, which was increased by the fact that his visitors were accustomed to carry nuts, cakes, and other delicacies in their pockets, on purpose for the monkey to find them there. Many specimens of this animal have been brought to Europe, and their disposition seems to vary according to the temperament of their owner. Monkeys are very sensitive animals, and take much of their tone of character from that of the person with whom they are most familiar. They seem to be affected almost instantaneously by predilection or antipathy, and on their first interview with a stranger, will evince either a satisfaction at, or objection to, his presence, which they will maintain for ever afterwards. I have often watched this propensity, and seen the same animal come voluntarily and offer itself to be caressed by one person, while the very approach of another would set it chattering with anger. It may be that the animal is actuated simply by caprice ; but the more “rational mode of accounting for such an action, is to suppose that the fine instincts which are implanted in its nature, enable it to discover its true friends at a glance without the trouble of testing them. THE WHI?TE-NOSE MONKEY. THE PATAsS. THE DIANA MONKEY. Cercopithécus Petaurista. Cercopithécus ruber. Cercopithécus Diana. The three monkeys which form the subject of the accompanying engraving are all members of the same genus, although they are marked by decided differences of colour and general aspect. The little animal which occupies the left hand of the group is the White-nose Monkey of Western Africa. It is a curious little creature, with an air of quaint conceit, for which it is indebted to the fringe of white hairs that surrounds its face, and the conspicuous white spot on the nose, which has earned for it the title of White-nose. As is so often the case in these animals, the under side of the body and inside of the limbs is of a much lighter tint than the upper portions. This distinction is peculiarly well marked in the long tail, which is nearly black above, and beneath takes a greyish hue. THE DIANA MONKEY. 49 It is a very graceful little creature, playful, but petulant and coquettish, disliking to be touched, but fond of notice and nuts, and often balanced in curious perplexity between its coy shyness and the charms of an offered dainty. When in perfect health, it is seldom still, but flits with light grace from one spot to another, performing the most difficult muscular efforts with exquisite ease, and profoundly sensible of the admiration which its pretty antics never fail to excite in the spectators. It is by no means a large animal, its head and body only measuring fifteen or sixteen inches, the tail being little short of two feet in length. The central figure of the group is the PATAS, sometimes called the Red Monkey, on account of the ruddy colour of the hair. The general tint of the fur is a bright chestnut, or fawn colour, with a deep shading of red. This hue is shown very decidedly on the sides and on the outer portions of the hind legs, the legs themselves being of a darkish cream colour. The breast and the fore-limbs are covered with hair, which much resembles that of the Green Monkey. It is an inhabitant of Western Africa, being found very commonly in Senegal. In size it is much superior to the last-mentioned animal, reaching more than three feet in length. When left to an undisturbed life, these creatures are playful and inquisitive, but mischievous and spiteful withal. They display great courage when engaged in a fray, and if their size and streneth were proportionate to their bravery and endurance, would be truly formidable antagonists. Even the fall of their comrades only seems to redouble their rage, and to stimulate them to increased exertions. Too crafty to venture upon close combat, these monkeys retain their posts of vantage on the tree-tops, and hurling from thence every kind of offensive missile that can be procured, render their attack a matter of exceeding inconvenience, even to armed men. During the skirmish, the monkeys distort their features into strange grimaces, and rend the air with their cries of rage. They have been known to follow boats up the course of a river, keeping pace upon the overhanging trees, and becoming so troublesome from the constant shower of sticks, fruits, and other missiles, that the occupants of the boats were forced to fire at their assailants, and to kill many of the number before they could be freed from the annoyance. This, as well as the foregoing long-tailed monkeys, belongs to that large group of quadrumanous animals called the GUENONS, nearly all of which possess similar character- istics of disposition. They are amusing and playful creatures, very active, and move with much grace of deportment. In captivity they are remarkable for their mercurial tem- perament, their ingenuity in devising and executing small malevolent pranks, and their insatiable appetite for nuts, and other similar dainties. They are curiously sensitive to ridicule, being thrown into furious excitement by any mocking gestures or sounds. Nothing seems to irritate a monkey more than a grin and a chatter, in imitation of its own habits, It will fly at the offender with furious looks and screams of rage, and, unless restrained by chains or bars, would be likely to inflict some damage by its sharp teeth. It will remember the person of its torméntor with singular tenacity of memory, and will be thrown into a state of angry agitation even by the sound of the hated voice. Although rather tetchy ‘and hot- tempered, and too apt to resent any supposed slight or injury, the Guenons are very capable of education, and in the hands of a kind and gentle teacher can be trained to perform many curious feats. Severity defeats its own aim, and only makes the creature fall back upon the innate obstinacy which is inherent in most animals, and of which the monkey has a large share. But a kind instructor, and one who will never lose his own temper, may take in hand even a savage monkey and reduce it to gentle obedience. As a general rule, the male monkeys are less open to higher influences than the females, and are therefore more difficult subjects for the tramer. Nearly all the long-tailed monkeys that come to England belong to the Guenons, and the many anecdotes that are related of them may be safely attributed to this group of animals. The monkey which is known by the name of the DIANA is remarkable not only for its quaint aspect, but for the richly variegated tints with which its fur is adorned. The most conspicuous feature in the Diana Monkey, is the long and sharply pointed beard which ur E & 50 THE SOOTY MANGABEY. decorates its chin and face. The colour of the beard is a pure white, and the animal is extremely solicitous about the perfect spotlessness of its hue, taking every precaution to preserve the cherished ornament from stain. So careful is the monkey, that when it drinks it holds back its beard with one hand, lest it should dip into the liquid and be soiled. It may seem rather singular that an animal which bears so masculine an adornment should be named after the bright virgin huntress of mythology, radiant in her perpetual youth. But though as Diana the beard might be scarcely appropriate, yet as Hecate it would not be so very inconsistent. The reason, however, for giving to this monkey the title of the Diana, may be found not on the chin but on AW forehead : where a semi-lunar line of white hair gleams out conspicuously against the black brows, and bears a close resem- blance to the silvery crescent borne by the Diana of the ancients. The colouring of the fur is extremely diversified, and in several parts assumes a force and richness of tint that we should rather expect in the plumage of a bird than in the fur of a monkey. The back is mostly of a deep chestnut colour, and is relieved by a bright orange hue that covers the lower part of the abdomen and the inside of the thighs. The orange colour is very much the same as that of the well-known penguin feathers which are so extensively used for slippers, pouches, and other similar purposes. A band of pure white separates the chestnut from the orange, and serves to set them off to great advantage. The remainder of the body is of a rather dark grey, and the hands are nearly black. The colour of the eye is a clear grey. In captivity it is rather a pleasing animal ; almost fastidiously clean in habits, therein being in advantageous contrast to many of the monkey tribe. It is easily tamed, and walks deliberately forward to receive any gift at the hands of its visitors. When walking, its diverse colours produce a curious effect, especially when it is viewed from behind. Although it is by no means a rare species, and is found in plenty in Guinea, Congo, and other places, it is not so often imported as might be expected. The total length of tail and body is about four feet and a half, of which the tail occupies rather more than the moiety. THE SOOTY MANGABEY.—Cercocébus fuliginosus, There are several species of monkeys belonging to the genus Cercocebus (te. Tailed Monkey), of which the animal that is so well depicted in the accompanying illus- tration is a good type. The Mangabeys, as these monkeys are called, are all inhabitants of Western Africa, and are tolerably frequent visitors to our island. They are amusing in their habits, and gentle in manner; easily domesticated, and open to instruction. Their MACAQUES. 51 temper does not seem to be so irritable as that of many monkeys; and even when they are roused to anger, their ire is comparatively evanescent. On account of the white hue which marks the eyelids, the Mangabey 7S are sometimes termed the “ White-eyelid Monkeys.” The Sooty Mangabey is well named; for its general colour is nearly black, something like a half-tint chimney-sweeper. The black hue is only found in the adult animal, the colour of the young Mangabey being a fawn tint. Sometimes it goes by the name of the Negro Monkey ; and under these several titles suffers somewhat from the confusion that is almost inseparable from such uncertain nomenclature. It is rather a small animal, measuring some eighteen inches or so from the nose to the root of the tail, which occupies about the same space. Among the peculiar habits which distinguish the Mangabeys, we may especially notice the action of their lips, and the mode in which they carry the tail. They have a strange way of writhing their faces into a kind of quaint grin, in which they raise the lips, and exhibit the teeth almost as if they were laughing. When walking, they have a fashion of turning their tails over their backs, and carrying them reversed, in a line almost parallel with the direction of the spine. Few monkeys can assume more ovr? attitudes than the Mangabeys, which seem to be, among monkeys s, almost the analogues of the acrobats among mankind; and twist them- selves into such strange contortions, that they seem to be e rble to dispense with the bones and joints with which other animals are furnished. They seem to be quite aware of their own accomplishments, and soon learn that their display will bring in a supply of nuts, cakes, and fruit to their exchequer. So they keep a vigilant eye on the visitors, and when they conceive that they have drawn attention to themselves, they execute a series of agile gambols, in the hope of meeting the reward which sweetens labour. Their attention is soon excited by any object that is more than ordinarily glittering ; jewellery of all kinds being as magnets, to which their eyes and fingers are instinctively drawn. My own fingers hav e more than once been endangered by the exceeding zeal manifested by the animal in its attempts to secure a ring to which it had taken a sudden liking. The monkey held out its paw as if it wanted to shake hands, seized my fingers with both its hands, and did its best to remove the object of its curiosity ; fortu- nately, the ring fitted rather tightly, or it would probably have been lost or swallowed. As it was, a few scratches on my hands, and an outburst of disappointed anger on the part of the monkey, were the only results of the sudden attack. MACAQUES. THE various species of monkeys which are ranged under the common title of Macaques, are mostly well-known animals; being plentiful in their native lands, and frequently domesticated, both in their own and in foreign countries. They are all inhabitants of Asia, although the word Macaco is the name which is given to all kinds of quadrumanous animals on the coast of Guinea, and is almost sy nonymous W ith our own word monkey. One of the best typical examples of this genus is found in the BONNET MACAQUE, or MunGaA, as it is often called. A native of Bengal and Ceylon, it is a frequent visitor to our shores ; being tolerably hardy in constitution, bearing the long voyage well, and suf- fering less from our insular climate than many of the monkey tribe. For the title of Bonnet it is indebted to the peculiar arrangement of the hairs on the crown of the head, which radiate in such a manner that they seem to form a kind of cap or bonnet. The general colour of the animal is a rather bright olive-grey, fading into white beneath. The mien of the face is of a leathery flesh eolouse The distinctions between the Macaques and the Cercopitheci, are not very striking ; but by comparison of the two genera, sufficiently decided variations are visible. These are rather comparative than absolute. In the Macaques, the muzzle is slightly more solid than in the Guenons, the body and head are larger, and in most species the tail E2 52 THE RHESUS, OR BHUNDER. is shorter. The callosities are well marked, and in some instances are rendered more conspicuous by a surrounding fold of skin devoid of hair. The limbs, too, are more muscular than those of the Guenons. These peculiarities may be seen on reference to the illustration. Whether the fault lies with its proprietor, or whether the temper of this Macaque be really uncertain, is difficult to say ; but its general disposition when in captivity is rather of a snappish and ecrabbed character. Those who have had much to do with the Munga, say that it is very capricious, and that its good humour cannot be depended upon, as is the case with many domesticated monkeys. In its native land, the Munga enjoys exemption from most of the external ills to which monkey nature is liable; for, in common with several other species, it is piously protected by the natives, on account of its importance in their myriad-deitied religion. Not content with permitting these monkeys to devastate his plantations at will, the devout Hindoo prepares a home for them in his temple, where they rule supreme, and tolerate not the intrusion of any monkeys of another caste. When old, they are of a very high caste indeed, according to the Hindoo ideas on the subject. The more fierce and savage the monkey, the higher is its caste; and among serpents, the cobra is significantly the 3rahmin. The Ragsus, or BHUNDER MONKEY, is rather a handsome animal in point of colour; the usual olive-green and yellow being relieved by warmer tints of a very bright chestnut, almost amounting to orange. The back is of a brownish hue, while the lower part of the spine and the outside of the thighs is of the warm tint already mentioned. The arms and shoulders are lighter, and change to dun below. ‘The eye is of a light brown colour, As will be seen in the engraving, the Rhesus is of a short and sturdy make, and looks more like an ordinary quadruped than any of the preceding monkeys. ‘The tail, too, is very short, and the callosities are very conspicuous; more on account of their ruddy colour, than their size. For cool impudence and audacity, this monkey stands unrivalled among its congeners ; surpassing even the previous animal in both these characteristics. So excellent and spirited a description has been given by Captain Johnson, of these monkeys in their wild state, that I cannot do better than present his account in his own words. “At Bindrabun (which name, I imagine, was originally Baunder-bund, literally signi- fying a jungle of monkeys), a town only a few miles distant from the holy city of Muttra, more than a hundred gardens are well cultivated with all kinds of fruit, solely for the support of these animals, which are kept up and maintained by religious endowments from rich natives. “When I was passing through a street in Bindrabun, an old monkey came down to the lower branches of a tree we were going under, and pulled off my Harcarrah’s turban, as he was running in front of the palanquin, decamped with it over some houses where it was impossible to follow him, and was not again seen. “T once resided a mnonth in that town, occupying a large house on the banks of the river, belonging to a rich native ; it had no doors, and the monkeys frequently came into the room where we were sitting, carrying off bread and other things from the breakfast- table. If we were sleeping or sitting in a corner of the room, they would ransack every other part. “T often feigned sleep, to observe their manceuvres, and the caution with which they proceeded to examine everything. I was much amused to see their sagacity and alertness. They would often spring twelve or fifteen feet from the house to another, with one, some- times two young ones under their bellies, carrying with them also, a loaf of bread, some sugar, or other article ; and to have seen the care they always took of their young would have been a good lesson to many mothers. “JT was one of a party at Teekarry, in the Bahar district ; our tents were pitched in a large mango garden, and our horses were picqueted in the same garden at a little distance off. When we were at dinner, a Syce came to us, complaining that some of the horses had broken loose, in consequence of being frightened by monkeys on the trees ; that, with BONNET MACAQUE.—Macdcus Sinicus. RHESUS.—Macdacus Rhesus. their chattering and breaking off the dry branches in leaping about, the rest would also get loose, if they were not driven away. « As soon as dinner was over, I went out with my gun to drive them off, and I fired with small shot at one of them, which instantly ran down to the lowest branch of the tree, as if he were going to fly at me, stopped suddenly, and coolly put its paw to the part wounded, covered with blood, and held it out for me to see: I was so much hurt at the time, that it has left an impression never to be effaced, and I have never since fired gun at any of the tribe. «Almost immediately on my return to the party, before I had fully described what had passed, a Syce came to inform us that the monkey was dead ; we ordered the,Syce to bring it to us, but by the time he returned, the other monkeys had carried the. dead one off, and none of them could anywhere be seen. “T have been informed by a gentleman of great respectability, on whose veracity I can rely (as he is not the least given to relating wonderful stories), that in the district of Cooch-Bahar, a very large tract of land is actually considered by the inhabitants to belong to a tribe of monkeys inhabiting the hills near it; and when the natives cut their different kinds of grain, they always leave about a tenth part piled in heaps for the monkeys. And as soon as their portion is marked out, they come down from the hills in a large body, and carry all that is allotted for them to the hills, storing it under and between rocks, in such a manner as to prevent vermin from destroying it. “On this grain they chiefly live; and the natives assert, that if they were not to have their due proportion, in another year they would not allow a single grain to become ripe, but would destroy it when green. In this account, perhaps, superstition has its full influence.” The natives are nearly as careful of the Rhesus, as of the Hoonuman itself; and take sanguinary revenge on any one who wounds or kills one of these animals. On one occasion, two officers, together with their servant, lost their lives in a popular tumult caused by the death of a 1 monkey, at which they had thoughtlessly fired. But although the monkeys may not be hurt, and are allowed to plunder the crops at their own sweet will, the Hindoo cultivators are by no means pleased to see their fields so often devastated, and would willingly preserve them from the depredators in spite of their divine, though thievish character. D4 THE MAGOT. To drive away the monkeys is almost an impossible act on the part of the native pro- prietor ; for the monkeys consider themselves as quite on an equality with any dark- skinned human being, and decline to move an inch. So the only resource is to beg a European to undertake the task; and the monkeys, knowing that a white man is not so scrupulous as a black one, take the hint, and move off. One ready-witted Englishman succeeded in keeping the monkeys away from his plan- tation for more than two years, and that without using any violence, or offending the pre- judices of the natives. He had planted a patch of sugar-canes, and had seen his growing crops eaten by elephants, swine, deer, monkeys, and other animals, without being able to guard the ground from the robbers. The heavier animals he excluded by means of a deep trench surrounding the cane-patch, and a strong palisading of bamboos just within the ditch. But the monkeys cared nothing for moat or wall, and carried off whole canes in their hands, eating them complacently as they proceeded to the shelter of the trees. For a long time this state of things continued, and the planter was doomed to see the ripening canes devoured in his very presence, and the chewed fragments spit in his face by the robbers. This last insult proved too great a strain for his patience to endure, and after some thought, he hit upon a stratagem which answered even beyond his expectation. He chased a flock of the monkeys into a tree, which he then felled ; and by the help of his assistants, captured a number of the young, which he conveyed home He then mixed some treacle with as much tartar-emetic as could be spared from the store, and after painting all the young monkeys with this treac sherous mixture set them free. Their anxious parents had been watching for their offspring, and carried them away out of danger. The liberated captives were then surrounded by the whole troop, who commenced licking the treacle from their fur. Before very long, the expected effects made their appearance, and the poor monkeys presented a most pitiful appearance. The result of the affair was, that the monkeys were so terrified at the internal anguish which their depredations had caused them to suffer, that they fled the place, and not a monkey was seen in that locality until long afterwards. In captivity they are most mischievous, and are always on the watch for an opportunity of exhibiting a little malice. They tear pieces out of the dress of anybody who may happen to approach near their cage; they snatch at any ornament that strikes their quick eyes; they grin and chatter with exultation when they succeed in their mischief, and scream with rage when they are foiled. They prefer to exercise these abilities on human sufferers ; but in default of man, whom they consider their legitimate game, they are not above playing practical jokes upon each other, and, better still, upon the inhabitants of neighbouring cages. Some are of so jealous a disposition that the sight of another monkey eating a nut will throw them into a state of angry irritation, which is not always pacified even by the gift of a similar or even a better article. The skin of this monkey is very loose about the throat and abdomen, and generally hangs in folds. The animal which is shown in the following engraving is one of the best known of the monkey tribe; as it is tolerably hardy, it endures the changeable and chilly European climates better than most of its race. As its name implies, it is a native of Barbary, where it is found in great numbers, but has also been naturalized upon the rock of Gibraltar. The Gibraltar Macorts are frequently mentioned in books of travel, and display great ingenuity in avoiding pursuit and discovering food. They keep to the most ‘inaccessible portions of the rock, and scamper away hurriedly on the slightest alarm. But with the aid of a moderately : good telescope, their movements may “be watched, and are very amusing. When in their native wilds, the Magots live in large flocks, each band seeming to be under the orders of some chosen leader. They are very intelligent, and possessed THE MAGOT. 55 of a large share of the cunning that belongs to the monkeys, and which, when aided by their strength of muscle, agility of limb, and quickness of sight, keeps them in tolerable security from foes, and enables them to make raids upon cultivated lands without suffering the penalty due to their crimes. The enenties which these creatures hold in greatest dread are the climbing felide ; and on the approach of one of these animals, the colony is instantly in a turmoil. The leaders yell their cry of alarm and give the signal for retreat, the mothers snatch up their little ones, the powerful males range themselves in battle array, and the whole body seeks a place of refuge. Open attacks are little feared by the Magots, as their combined forces are sufficiently powerful to repel almost any enemy. But at night, when they are quietly sleeping, the crafty foe comes stealing along, and climbing up the trees or rocks on which the Magots are sitting asleep, strikes down its unsuspecting prey. When young, the Magot is tolerably gentle; and as it is sufficiently intelligent to learn many tricks, it is frequently brought to Europe, and its accomplishments exhibited before the public. But this state of comparative domesticity is only for MAGO'T, OR BARBARY APE.--Macdcus Duvwus. a time, and as the ~bodily frame becomes more developed, so does the Magot lose its gentle nature, and put on a sullen and fierce deportment. Captivity seems to exert a terribly depressing influence over the animal when it becomes fitted by nature for its wild independence ; and as the stimulus to the mind is removed by the restrictions under which the animal is placed, the mind loses its spring, and the creature is deserted by the apt intelligence that characterizes its wild state, and for which it has then no need. This monkey is not very widely spread, for with the exception of the Rock of Gibraltar, it seems to be confined to Northern Africa. Some authors state that it is found in India, China, and even the entire African continent, but it seems clear that there has been some confusion of species. Indeed, the Magot has caused some little labour in placing it in its right position, It is not a very large animal, as the full-grown males only measure about a yard in length, and the females are rather smaller. The general size of the Magot is about that of an ordinary bull-terrier dog. Or lor] THE MAGOT. The colour of the fur is tolerably uniform, differing chiefly in depth of shade, and is of a clear greyish colour. The head is strong and heavy, the eyes deeply set under the overhanging brows, the neck is short and powerful, the teeth are fully developed and sharp, the finger-nails are sufficiently strong to inflict a severe wound ; so that the entire aspect of an adult male Magot is that of a fierce and dangerous animal. Its walk on level ground is rather awkward, this animal making use of feet and hands for that purpose; but it climbs with ease and agility up trees or rocks, and in a domesticated state is fond of running up and down ropes, and swinging itself about its cage. In captivity it will eat almost any kind of food, but in its wild state it prefers fruit, leaves and other vegetable fare, varying its diet by sundry insects which it captures. When enraged it utters a fierce harsh yell, which, when enhanced by the force of numbers, the fury-flashing eyes and warlike gestures, often suffices to intimidate a foe from venturing upon an attack. But when it is not under the influence of angry feelings, its voice is comparatively mild and gentle, being a soft and almost caressing chatter. There is a strange grimace in which this animal habitually indulges on almost every emotion, whether it be caused by pleasure, anger, or disappointment. The cheeks are sucked in, the lips are contracted over the gums, and the teeth are freely exhibited. Although it is popularly termed the Barbary Ape, the Magot is not a true ape, being organized after a very different fashion from the veritable Simians. Belonging to the same genus as the Munga and Rhesus, it is almost entirely destitute of the tail which is so conspicuous an adornment of these monkeys. In the Magot the tail is reduced to a mere projection, sufficient to mark the spot where that member would have been placed, but not prominent enough to be ranked among real tails. Owing to this formation, the Magot, although one of the Macaques, was placed among the apes by earlier naturalists. When at liberty in its native lands, the Magot has a great predilection for hunting scorpions, insects, and similar creatures, and devouring them on the spot. It displays peculiar aptitude for discovering and pouncing upon its prey. Scorpions and beetles are found in profusion under stones, logs, or in similar sheltering places, and are there secure from any ordinary foe. But the quick senses of the Magot detect them in their concealment, and the ready hands sweep away the shelter and make the insect prisoner before it recovers the sudden surprise of its violated roof, On the rock of Gibraltar these monkeys are constantly engaged in turning over the loose stones, and by their perpetual industry have, in course of years, quite altered the surface of the earth, affording, it may be, grounds for sore perplexity in the minds of future geologists. To any ordinary animal the scorpion would be rather a dangerous prey, and would probably avenge its death most fully by a stroke of -its torture-giving and swiftly-lashine tail. The Magot, however, has hands which can overmatch even the scorpion’s tail, and no sooner is one of these baneful creatures brought to light, than the monkey pounces upon it, twitches off the poison-joints of the tail, and then, grasping the disarmed scorpion, eats it as composedly as if it were a carrot. In default of such large insects as have been mentioned, the Magot turns its attention to smaller deer, and, entering into a mutual engagement with a friend of its own race, they reciprocally exterminate the parasitic insects with which monkeys generally swarm. Small though the quarry may be, the Magot displays much excitement in the chase, and after running down its prey successfully, holds the captured insect to its eyes, contemplates it with a grimace of satisfaction, and then daintily eats it. When in captivity it continues the same pursuits, and may often be seen nestling close to a friendly cat or dog, busily engaged in a minute investigation of its fur, and ever and anon givine vent to a little complacent chuckle which proclaims a successful « THE BLACK MACAQUE. 57 chase. Sometimes the Magot contracts a strong friendship for its master, and being desirous to render every service in its power, jumps on his shoulder, and examines his head with much care, though, we may hope, with little ultimate satisfaction. It often happens that the domesticated Magot takes a fancy for some other animals that may chance to come in its way, especially if they are young and comparatively helpless. It then acts as a voluntary nurse, and performs sundry kind offices for its charge, carrying them about with it, and, like nurses in general, becomes horribly jealous if its authority be in the least infringed. Its attitudes are rather singular. When walking or running, it goes chiefly on all-fours, but when it wishes to rest, it sits in a manner very similar to the corresponding attitude in man; when sleeping it generally lies extended at length, reclining on one side, or gathered up in a seated position, with its head drooping between its hind legs. In the absence of a tail, and in general form, the BLack Macaque bears some resemblance to the Magot, but in colour and arrangement of hair it is entirely distinct from that animal. The tint of the fur is as deep a black as that of the Budeng, or Black Colobus, which was mentioned on p. 42. Both these monkeys are possessed of crests which give a pecu- liar character to the whole aspect. That of the Black Colobus, however, is reverted forward, and curves to a point over the forehead, while that of the animal before us rises from the head and bends backward over the neck in a manner not unlike that of the cockatoo. Like the Magot, the Black Ma- caque has been called an ape by some writers, and a baboon by others, on account of the apology for a tail with which its hinder quarters are terminated, but not decorated. It is an inhabitant of the Phillippines and the neigh- bouring countries. THERE are few races of animals which have not been impressed by their human superiors into their service. Although the bodily powers of man are often more limited than those of the inferior animals, yet the lofty human intellect can more than compensate for corporeal deficiencies by making use of these faculties which are possessed by the subservient creation. Thus the Indian hunters take advantage of the active and stealthy chetah to capture the prey which is too vigilant of sight and too active of foot to be approached by man. In the bird-kingdom, the falcons take the place of the chetah, and chase through the realms of air those creatures whose wings would carry them beyond the grasp of man or the range of any weapon which he could devise. Again, the otter and the cormorant are both employed for the capture of fish in their native element, although the one is a quadruped and the other a bird. The ponderous strength of the elephant, and the drought-enduring powers of the camel, are equally utilized by man ; and indeed, throughout the whole creation, whether of animate or inanimate bodies, there is perhaps no one object that cannot, either directly or indirectly, be converted to some human use. Some there are, which are more directly profitable than others, among which may be enumerated the long list of domesticated animals which are familiar to us BLACK MACAQUE.—Macdcus Niger. 58 THE PIG-TAILED MACAQUE from childhood. Many of these animals, such as the horse and the dog, are universally employed in all parts ‘of the world, while others, such as the camel, are of no service except in the peculiar climate and among the peculiar circumstances for which they were created. Among these latter animals is the monkey which is depicted in the engraving on the next page. This is the PIG-TAILED MACAQUE, sometimes called the Brun. An inhabitant of Sumatra and neighbouring parts, the Bruh is possessed of the activity which distinguishes the monkey tribes, and withal is endowed with a larger “share of intelligence than usual, even with the quadrumanous animals. The inhabitants of Sumatra are in the habit of capturing the Pigtailed Macaque when young, and training it to climb the lofty cocoa-nut palms for the purpose of gathering the fruit. So clever are the monkeys, and so ingenious are the teachers, that the young scholars are instructed to select the matured nuts only, leaving the others to ripen on the tree. On this account, the Bruh has been called by a name which signifies the “fruit-gatherer.” Tn ‘captivity it is generally an amusing animal, displaying to the full those traits of curiosity, impertinence, petty malice, and quaint humour, for which the monkeys are celebrated, enhanced by a spice of something that is not very far removed from wit. I have often remarked the exceeding ingenuity of this animal in planning an attack on some unsuspecting person, its patience in biding its time, and its prompt rapidity of execution, On one occasion, a young lady happened to pass near a cage where a pair of these animals were confined, and their attention was immediately drawn to some beautiful white feathers which she bore on her hat. Now, the monkeys were far too wise to betray the least emotion, and not even by a look did they show that they had even observed the objects on which their very hearts were fixed. But any one who knew the ways of monkeys could divine, by the sudden sparkle of the eye, that there was mischief brewing. For some time, all went on as usual. The two monkeys held out their paws for nuts, cracked them, ate the sound kernels, and flung the bad nuts at the donors, just as if they had nothing on their minds, and had no soul above nuts. Interested by the amusing pranks which the creatures were playing, the owner of the feathers incautiously approached within reach of the cage. Almost too quickly for the eye to follow, one of the Bruhs shot down the bars, and with a single adroit movement, whipped out one of the white feathers and leaped to the back of the cage. Seating himself on the ground, he gravely inspected his prize, turning it over in every direction, smelling it critically, and biting off little strips of the feather, in order to ascertain the flavour. Having satisfied himself on these points, he stuck the feather behind one of his ears, so that 1t drooped over his head in ludicrous imitation of the manner in which it had been fastened into the hat. Thus accoutred, he paraded about the floor of the cage with stately pride. His companion now thought himself entitled to some share in the booty, and, creeping up stealthily from be hind, made a sudden spring at the feather. It was quite useless, for the original thief was on the alert, and, putting the feather in his mouth, climbed up a suspended rope with wonderful agility ; and in order to guard against an attack from below, he coiled up the rope with his hinder feet as fast as he ascended, thus cutting off all communication. When he reached the ceiling, he hitched his fingers and toes through the staple to which the rope was attached, and thus remained for awhile in perfect security. However, even a monkey’s limbs will not maintain their hold for ever, and the Bruh was forced to descend. His companion was waiting for him on the floor, and, when he reached the ground, gave chase, the two monkeys leaping about the cage, climbing the bars, and swinging from the ropes in the most agile manner. At last they seemed to be tired of the game, and, sitting on one of the bars, amicably PIG-TAILED MACAQUE.—Macdcus nemestrinus. set to work at the feather, picking out each vane separately, nibbling it, and spurting the fragments on the floor. Just at this juncture the keeper made his appearance at the door, and the very glean of his cap was a signal for the delinquents to dive into the furthermost corner of their cage, out of reach of stick or whip. The feather was ultimately restored to its rightful owner, but as its shaft had been bitten nearly through, had lost many of its snowy vanes, and hung limp and flaccid, as if it had been ‘mangled, there was but sheht probability of its ever renewing its position upon hat or bonnet, As to the depredators, they were incorrigible. Hardly had the excitement caused by the feather-robbery begun to subside, when a fresh storm of laughter and exclamations arose, On my returning to the cage, the same monkey was seen perched on his bar examining Pei Sy a new prize in the shape of a bracelet, which he had snatched from the hand of a lady who was offering some biscuit. It was one of those bracelets that are composed of large beads, threaded on elastic cord, and the whole attention of the thief was absorbed in the : amusement caused by drawing the bracelet to its full length, and letting it snap. The clatter of the beads seemed to amuse the monkey mightily, and he was so entirely charmed with this novel recreation, that he did not even see the approaching keeper. At the sound of his voice, however, down went beads, away went monkey, and the bracelet Was soon in possession of its owner. It was a very fortunate circumstance for the monkey that he was deprived of his prize. He would most certainly have pulled the bracelet until the string broke, and the beads fell on the floor; and in that case, he would inevitably have swallowed every bead that had not been seized and eaten by his companion. 60 THE WANDEROO. The floor of the cage was strewed with fragmentary trophies of the powers of these most mischievous creatures. There were scraps of ribbon, evidently torn from feminine wrists ; there were odd fingers and thumbs of gloves, of every material and make ; there were patches of various laces and light textures, which had once formed part of summer dresses ; even to little pieces of slight walking-sticks, which had been seized and broken by the monkey in excusable avenging of insults offered by their bearers ;—there were representative fragments of man, woman, and child, lying tossed about in admirable confusion. T never knew so excellent a show of trophies, excepting in one instance, where several monkeys were confined in the same cage, and even in that case, I fancy that the superiority was simply occ asioned by the less frequency with which the cage was swept. It is quite a common sight to see the skeleton of a parasol or two lying helplessly on the floor, or hung derisively from some bar or hook that is out of reach of any hand but that of the monkey. Tassels of all kinds fall easy victims to the monkey’s quick paw, and, after being well gnawed, are thrown contemptuously on the ground. The hard knob that is usually found in the upper part of a tassel irritates the monkey exceedingly. He thinks that he has found a nut concealed in the silken threads, and expends much time and labour in trying to crack it. The fine fibres of the silk annoy him wonderfully, and the air of angry vexation with which he spits out the obnoxious threads is highly amusing. ~The fur of the Pig-tailed Macaque is tolerably uniform in its hue. The colour of the greater part of the fur is a light fawn; a dark ‘brown tint is washed over the top of the head and along the back, spreading partly over the sides, and colouring the upper surface of the tail. The under parts of the body and tail, together with the cheeks are of a lighter tint. WANDEROO,—Silenus veter. The last of the Macaques which we shall notice in this work is the monkey which is well known under the name of WANDEROO, or OUANDEROO, as it is sometimes written. Although the Wanderoo is by our best authorities considered to be a member of the Macaques, ‘and is therefore placed among them in this work; some naturalists are more THE WANDEROO, G1 inclined to give it a place at the head of the Baboons, and assert that it forms the link between them and the Macaques. To this decision they are led by the general physiognomy of this monkey, and by the fact that the extremity of the tail is fammished with a brush. Still, the muzzle is not of that brutal character which is so repulsively exhibited in the baboons, and the nostrils are situated in their ordinary position, instead of being pierced at the extremity of the muzzle. The Indian name of this animal is “ Nilbandar,” or more properly “ Neel-bhunder,” the word being a composite one, and signifying a black Bhunder. This very “singular animal is a native of the East Indies, and is found commonly enough in Cey lon. The heavy mass of hair that surmounts the head and env elops the entire face, gives it a rather dignified aspect, reminding the observer of the huge peruke under whose learned shade the ereat legal chiefs Concer judgment. The hair on the top of the head is black, but the ereat beard that rolls down the face and beneath the chin is of a grey tint, as if blanched by the burden of many years. In some instances this beard is almost entirely white, and then the Wanderoo looks very venerable indeed. It is not a very mischievous animal in its wild state, and withdraws itself from the habitations of men. When in captivity it is of a tetchy and capricious disposition, sometimes becoming mild in its demeanour, and presently, without the least apparent motive, bursting into a fit of passion, and indulging in all kinds of malicious tricks. But, as is the case with so many of the monkey tribe, as the creature becomes older, it loses the gentle part of its nature, and develops the brutality alone. Thus, a Wanderoo may be quiet, docile, and even affectionate at a year old, and appear quite a model of monkey nature; at two years of age the same animal will be full of lively caprice, at times playful, and at times cross and savage ; while at full age, the creature will be surly, inert, savage, and revengeful. From the form of the tail, which is of a moderate length, and decorated with a hairy tuft at its extremity, the Wanderoo is also known by the name of the Lion-tailed Baboon. The greater part of the fur of this animal is of a fine black, but the colour assumes a lighter hue on the breast and abdomen. The callosities on the hinder quarters are of a light pink. ‘Tt is not a very large animal, being rather less than three feet from the nose to the tip of the tail. The name Silenus is appropriate enough, for the white beard and whiskers bear some resemblance to those facial ornaments attributed to the aged companion of the youthful Bacchus. And the specific title of “Veter,” signifying “old,” is well earned by the veteran aspect of the animal. The eye is a bright brown, and looks knowingly out of the hairy mass, from which it peers inquisitively at the bystanders. Probably on account of the sapient mien, for which it is indebted to the mass of circumfluous locks, the Wanderoo is considered by the inhabitants to be a personage of great distinction among its own people. All other monkeys of the same land are said to pay the most profound reverence to their bearded chief, and, in his presence, to humble themselves as subjects before an emperor. When feeding, the Wanderoo has a discreet custom of filling its cheek pouches before it begins to eat, thus laying up a provision against future emergencies before it has begun to satisfy the actual present wants of hunger. This habit presents a curious analogy with the peculiar stomach of the ruminating animals, when in the act of eating; a portion of the food passes into a series of pockets or pouches, where it is retained until the creature is possessed of time and leisure for re-mastication. In its earlier youth, the Wanderoo is susceptible of education, and can be trained to perform many ingenious tricks, preferring those of a graye and sedate cast to the mercurial and erratic accomplishments displayed by the generality of learned monkeys. GROUP OF CHACMAS. BABOONS, OR DOG-HEADED MONKEYS. A WELL-MARKED group of animals now comes before us, popularly known by the name of BaBoons. In more learned language they are entitled “Cynocéphali,” or Dog- headed animals, on account of the formation of the head and jaws, which much resemble those of the dog tribe. One distinguishing characteristic of these creatures is that the nostrils are situated at the extremity of the muzzle, instead of lying nearly flat upon its base, and just under THE GELADA. 63 the eyes, as in the apes, and other quadrumanous animals. The muzzle, too, is peculiar in its form, being, as it were, cut off abruptly, leaving a round and flatte ned extremity, which is well shown in the engraving of the Gelada, on p. 64. This extreme projection is not so conspicuous in the young baboon as when it attains a more mature age, and, indeed, is sometimes so little developed, that the young baboons have been taken for adult Macaques. Of all the Quadrumana, the baboons are the most morose in temper, the fiercest in character, and the most repellent in manners. So odiously disgusting are the habits in which many of these animals continually indulge, that, as a general rule, their presence is offensive in the extreme, and excepting for purposes of scientific investigation, it is better to shun the cage that holds any specimen of these creatures. There are now and then exceptional cases, but they are few and far between, and it is hardly possible to watch an adult baboon for many minutes without incurring a risk of some shock to the nerves. Even their exceeding cunning, and the crafty wiles which are hatched in their fertile brains, cannot atone for their habitual offences against decorum. It is rather curious that in the preceding genera, such as the Cercopitheci, and the Cercocebi, the chief characteristic from which the genus derives its rather lengthy title is founded upon the tail; while in the baboons, the systematic naturalists leaped at one bound to the opposite extremity of the body, and took up their stand upon the head. For the introduction to science of the GELADA, one of the most singular of these animals, we are indebted to Dr. Ruppell, who has gained so well-earned a name in the annals of natural science. Together with all the Cynocephali, the Gelada is a native of Africa, Abyssinia being the country from which our specimens have been derived. Dr. Ruppell, in his work on the “Fauna of Abyssinia,” places this animal among the Macaques. The adult animal exhibits in perfection the curious mass of hair that is seen to cover the neck and shoulders of the monkeys of this group, and sits magnificently placid under the shade of its capillary mantle. The young Gelada is almost totally devoid of this heavy mane, if it ean be so called, and only by slight indications gives promise of the future development. The general ‘colour of this animal is a brown tint of varying intensity. The body and mane are of a dark brown, fading into a much lighter hue on the top of the head and sides of the face. The limbs partake of the character of the body, with the exception of the fore-legs, and paws, and the hinder feet, on which the fur is nearly black. The baboons are more quadrupedal in their gait than any of the animals hitherto described, their formation being well adapted to such a style of progression. Even in walking some three or four steps, they seldom move otherwise than on all-fours, and when at liberty in their native haunts, are almost invariably seen either to walk like a dog, or to sit in the usual monkey fashion, discarding all attempts to imitate the human attitude. Sometimes they will stand in a tolerably erect posture for a few moments if they are desirous of looking at a distant object, or of playing some of their fantastic pranks ; but even in that case, they usually aid themselves by resting a paw on any convenient support. Their paces are generally of two kinds, a walk when they are at leisure and un- interrupted in their proceedings, and a gallop when they are alarmed, or otherwise hurried. The walk is remarkable for its jaunty eee and must be seen before it can be properly appreciated. There is an easy, undulating swagger of the whole person, and a pretentious carriage of the tail, that, aided by the quick: cunning blink of the little deep-set eyes, imparts an indescribable air of effrontery to the animal. This characteristic action is admirably hit off by the artist in the lesser figures depicted in the engraving on p. 62. Their pace, when hurried, is a gallop, s somewhat resembling that of a dog. All the baboons are excellent climbers of trees, as well as accomplished cragsmen, and are seldom found very far from trees or rocks. As they band together in great GELADA.—Gélada Ruppellii. numbers, they are nearly invincible in their own domains, whether of forest or cliff, bidding defiance to almost every enemy but man. Although more ready to shun an enemy than to attack, and always preserving the better part of valour, the y are terrible foes when they are brought to bay, and turn upon their enemies with the furious energy of despair. Active to a degree, and furnished with powerful limbs, they would be no despicable antagonists were their means of attack limited to hands and feet alone; but when their lone sharp teeth and massive jaws are thrown into the scale, it will be seen that hardly the leopard itself is a more formidable animal, The teeth are formed in a manner which peculiarly fits them for the mode of attack that is employed by all the baboons. The great canine teeth are long and pointed at their tips, while their inner ec dge is sharp as that of a knife, and can cut with more effect than many a steel weapon. Knowing well the power of the terrible armature with which he is gifted, the enraged baboon leaps upon his foe, and drawing it towards him with his hands rand feet, fixes his teeth in its throat until the sharp fangs meet together. He then violently pushes the miserable ageressor from him, so that the keen-edged teeth cut their way through the flesh, and inflict a wound that is often immediately fatal. In this manner they repel the attacks of dogs ; and woe be to the inexperienced hound who is foolish enough to venture its person within grasp of the baboon’s feet or hands. d THE CHACMA. 65 Many a time have these reckless animals paid for their audacity by their life. The whole affair is the work of only a few seconds. The baboon is scampering away in hot haste, _ and | the hound following at full speed. Suddenly the fugitive casts a quick glance behind “him, and seeing that he has only one antagonist close upon him, wheels round, springs on Fthe dog before it can checls itself, and in an instant flings the dyi ing hound on the earth, © the blood pouring in torrents from its mangled throat. Of the Dog-headed baboons, the species which is most celebrated for such feats of . prowess is the well-known animal called the CHacma, or Urstnr Bapoon, the latter title being given to it on account of the slightly bear-like aspect of the head and neck. The word Chaecma is a corrupted, or rather a contracted form of the Hottentot name Tchakamma. The Zulu name for this baboon is Imfena, a much more euphonious word, without that odious click, so impossible of achievement by ordinary vocal organs. In the same dialect, one which is in almost every case remarkable for the rich softness of its intonation, the word “Inkau,” is the synonyme for a monkey. This animal, when it has attained its full age, equals in size a large mastiff, or an ordinary sized wolf; while, in bodily strength and prowess, it is a match for any two dogs that can be brought to attack it. Curiously enough, although it is so ruthless an antagonist, being the certain slayer of any hound that may come to close quarters, there is no animal which is so eagerly hunted by the South African hounds. Experience seems in this case to have lost its proverbially instructive powers ; and the cruel death of many comrades by the trenchant fangs of the Chacma, has no effect in deterring the ardent hound from attacking the first baboon that comes in its way. The owners of the hounds are more careful in this matter than are the dogs them- selves, and evince more caution in setting their dogs on the track of a baboon than on the “spoor” of a leopard, or even of the regal lion himself. The Chacma is a most accomplished robber, executing his burglaries openly whenever he knows that he will meet with no formidable opposition, and having recourse to silent craft when there are dogs to watch for trespassers, and men with guns to shoot thei. With such consummate art do these animals plan, and with such admirable skill do they carry out their raids, that even the watchful band of dogs is comparatively useless ; and the cunning robbers actually.slip past the vigilant sentries without the stirring of a grass blade, or the rustling of a dried twig, to give notice to the open ears of the wakeful but beguiled sentries. In such a case, the mode to which they resort is clever in the extreme. They know full well, that if a number of their body were to enter the forbidden domain, they could hardly elude the observation or escape the hearing of dogs and men ; so they commit the delicate task of entering the enemy’s domains to one or two old experienced baboons. These take the lead, and eliding softly past the sentry Wogs, find admission by some crevice, or by the simpler mode of climbing over the fence. Meanwhile, the rest of the band array themselves in a long line, leading from the scene of operations to some spot where they will be out of danger from pursuit. All being ready, the venturous leaders begin to pluck the fruit, or to bite off the sté ulkks, as the case may be, and quietly hand the booty to the comrade who is nearest to them. He passes the fruit to a third, who again hands it to a fourth ; and thus the spoil is silently conveyed to a distance, i ina manner similar to that which is employed in handing water-buckets tu a fire-engine. When a sufficient amount of plunder has been secured, the invading party quietly make their retreat, and revel in security on their ill-gotten goods, Although on service for the general weal, each individual baboon is not unmindful of his personal interest ; and w hile he hands the booty to his next neighbour, deftly es a portion into his pouches, much on the same principle that an accomplished epicure, while busily carving for the assembled guests, never loses sight of his own particular predilec- tion, and w hen he has exhausted the contents of the dish, quietly ¢ assumes {he portion which he had laid aside. When young, the Chacma is docile enough, and by its curious tricks affords much amusement to its master and those around it. Not only for amusement, however, is this le F 66 THE CHACMA. . animal detained in captivity, but its delicate natural instincts are sometimes enlisted in the service of its master. It displays great ability in discovering the various roots and tubers on which it feeds, and which can also be used as food for man; and in digging like Caliban, with his long nails, pignuts. A more important service is often rendered by this animal than even the procuration of food; and that is, the hunting for, and almost unfailing discovery of water. In the desert life, water loses its character of a luxury, and becomes a dread necessity ; its partial deficiency giving birth to fearful sufferings, while its total deprivation, even for a day or two, causes inevitable death. The fiery sun of the tropical regions, and the arid, scorching atmosphere, absorb every particle of moisture from the body, and cause a constant desire to supply the unwonted waste with fresh material, exactly where such a supply is least attainable. Among these climates, the want of a proper supply of water is soon felt, the longing tor the cool element becomes a raging madness; the scorched and hardened lips refuse their office, and the tongue rattles uselessly in the mouth, as if both tongue and palate were cut out of dried wood. The value of any means by which such sufferings can be alleviated is incalculable ; and the animal of which we are speaking, is possessed of this priceless faculty. When the water begins to run short, and the known fountains have failed, as is too often the sad hap of these desert wells, fortunate is the man who owns a tame Chacma, or “ Babian,” as it is called. The animal is first deprived of water for a whole day, until it is furious with thirst, which is increased by giving it salt provisions, or putting salt into its mouth. This apparent cruelty is, however, an act of true mercy, as on the Chacma may depend the existence of itself and the whole party. A long rope is now tied to thé baboon’s collar, and it is suffered to run about where- ever it chooses, the rope being merely used as a means to prevent the animal from getting out of sight. The baboon now assumes the leadership of the band, and becomes the most important personage of the party. First it runs forward a little, then stops ; gets on its hind feet, and sniffs up the air, especially taking notice of the wind and its direction. It will then, perhaps, change the direction of its course; and after running for some distance take another observation Presently it will spy out a blade of grass, or similar object, pluck it up, turn it on all sides, smell it, and then go forward again. And thus the animal proceeds until it leads the party to water; guided by some mysterious instinct which appears to be totally independent of reasoning, and which loses its powers in proportion as reason gains dominion. The curious employment of the animal for the discovery of water, is mentioned by Captain Drayson, R.A., in his interesting work, “Sporting Scenes among the Kaflirs of South Africa.” In the course of the same work he gives many life-like illustrations of baboon habits, whether wild or tame. Of the daily life of the baboons, the following affords a graphic and amusing description. “During the shooting trip with the Boers, I awoke before daybreak, and as I felt very cold and not inclined to sleep, I got up, and taking my gun, walked to a little ravine, out of which a clear, murmuring stream flashed in the moonlight, and ran close past our out- span. A little distance up this kloof, the fog was dense and thick; the blue and pink streaks of the morning light were beginning to illuminate the peaks of the Draakensberg, but all immediately around us still acknowledged the supremacy of the pale moonlight. I wanted to see the sun rise in this lonely region, and watch the changing effects which its arrival would produce on the mountains and plains around. “Suddenly I heard a hoarse cough, and on turning, saw indistinctly in the fog a queer little old man standing near, and looking at me. I instinctively cocked my gun, as the idea of bushmen and poisoned arrows flashed across my mind. The old man instantly dropped on his hands ; giving another hoarse cough, that evidently told a tale of consump- tive lungs; he snatched up something beside him, which seemed to leap on his shoulders, and then he scampered off up the ravine on all-fours. Before half this performance was THE CHACMA,—Cynocéphalus porcarius, completed, I had discovered my mistake ; the little old man turned into an ursine baboon with an infant ditto, who had come down the Kloof to drink. The ‘old man’s’ cough was answered by a dozen others, at present hidden in the fogs ; soon, however,” ““*Up rose the sun, the mists were curl’d Back from the solitary world Which lay around,’ and I obtained a view of the range of mountains gilded by the morning sun. “A large party of the old ge ntleman’s family were sitting up the ravine, and were evidently holding a debate as to the cause of my intrusion. I watched them through my glass, and was much amused at their grotesque and almost human movements. Some of the old ladies had their olive branches in their laps, and appeared to be ‘ doing their hair,” while a patriarchal old fellow paced backwards and forwards with a fussy ‘sort of look ; he was evidently on sentry, and seemed to think himself of no small importance. “This estimate of his dignity did not appear to be universally acknowledged ; as two or three young baboons sat close behind him watching his proceedings ; some time s with the most grotesque movements and expressions they would stand direc tly in his path, and hobble away only at the last moment. One daring youngster followed close on the heels of the patriarch ‘during the whole length of his beat, and gave a sharp tug at his tail as he was about to turn. The old fellow seemed to treat it with the ereatest indifference, scarcely turning round at the insult. Master Impudence was about repeating the perform- ance, when the pater, showing that he was not such a fool as he looked, suddenly sprang round, and catching the young one before he could escape, gave him two or three such cuffs, that I could “hear the screams that resulted therefrom. The venerable gentleman F2 6S THE CHACMA. then chucked the delinquent over his shoulder, and continued his promenade with the ereatest coolness: this old baboon was evidently acquainted with the practical details of Solomon’s proverb. “A crowd gathered round the naughty child, who childlike, seeing commiseration, shrieked all the louder. I even fancied I could see the angry glances of the mamma, as she took her dear little pet in her arms and removed it from a repetition of such brutal treatment.” One of these animals, personally known to Captain Drayson, was a great practical jester, and was fond of terrifying the Kaffir women by rushing at them open mouthed, catching them by their ankles, and mowing at them with extravagant grimaces, as if he meant to eat them up bodily. Sometimes a dog would be set at him while thus employed, and change the aspect of affairs in a moment. The pursuer then became the pursued, and quitting his prey, made for the nearest tree, up which he scuttled, and settled himself among the branches just so high as to be out of reach of the dog’s jaws, and just so low as to give hopes of success by a higher than ordinary leap. There he would sit as if there were no such being in the world as a dog, and giving himself up to the contemplation of the surround- ing scenery, or the aspect of the sky, would leisurely pursue his train of thought until the dog was tired and went away. His keenness of sight was remarkable, his eyes possessing powers of distant vision that rivalled the telescope. In order to prove the powers of the creature’s sight, his master made several experi- ments, by going to so great a distance that the baboon perched on its pole was barely per- ceptible to the naked eye, and from thence producing sundry distortions of countenance, and strange attitudes of body. By looking through a telescope, he was able to see that the animal was not only capable of discerning and imitating his gestures, but even the very changes of countenance ; so that a grimace on the part of the gallant owner was immediately reproduced, or rather, represented by a grin on the part of the baboon. There is a well-known story of a monkey who literally “ plucked a crow ” which had been in the habit of stealing his food, and curiously enough, the scene was re-enacted by this very animal, with the exception of one or two slight differences. He was chained to the pole because he was rather too mischievous to be left entirely at liberty. He had been already detected in eating a box of wafers, studying practically the interior construction of a watch, and drinking a bottle of ink—in this last exploit displaying similar tastes with the siamang described on p. 32 of this volume. His age was only two years at the time when the account of his performances was written. Captain Drayson has very kindly furnished me with the following original anecdotes of this tame Chacma :— “ A young baboon which had been reared by his owner from infancy resided for some months near my tent, and often served to while away an idle hour. “Sometimes a stout earthen pot, which had just been emptied of its contents of good English jam, was submitted to the mercy of ‘Jacob, as this animal was named. The neck of the pot would not admit even a hand to be inserted, and it was most amusing to watch the manceuvres which were practised to procure some of the remnants of the sweets. If a stick were near, the jam was scooped out; but if not, the pot was elevated high above Jacob’s head, and then flung to the ground with great force. “The earthen pot was stout and strong ; but upon one oceasion, by good luck, the pot struck a stone, and was fractured. Great was the delight of Jacob, but not unmixed with suspicion; for he appeared to think that the bystanders had been merely waiting to take advantage of his skill in projectiles, and that they would now purloin his fragments. Cramming his pouches full of bits of the jam-pot, he then seized the largest remaining piece and retreated to the top of his pole to enjoy the licking, “ He was always fully occupied for some hours after these feats; for the jam adhered to his body, and he had to contort himself to lick off all the particles. “There is almost as much expression in the tail of a baboon, as there is in his face. The alteration of the curve in which it is usually carried, or the lowering of this appen- dage, having a special meaning, according to the character of the individual. THE CHACMA. 69 “The baboon is perfectly aware of the dangerous character of the snake, and when he approaches a clump of bushes for the purpose of feasting upon the young shoots or ripe berries, he invariably peeps suspiciously amongst the underwood in search of his dreaded foe. “Tn consequence of Jacob’s detestation of the serpent race, a cruel trick was frequently played upon him, but which was one that gave great amusement. This was to frighten him with a dead snake. “Serpents of every description were here very common ; and sometimes when one had been killed, it was laid across a stick and taken towards Jacob. The instant his perse- cutor came in sight, the snake was sure to be seen; Jacob would then wrap himself wp in his blanket and turn over an old box, under which he would hide. This retreat soon failed him, as there was a small knot-hole in the box, through which the tail of the snake was insinuated. “Finding that this artifice had failed, he would upset the box, and spring away; a little dodging would then take place, and Jacob would be hemmed in so that the snake was brought ‘close to him. Then, indeed, things required a desperate remedy, and with great presence of mind, he would seize the tail—invaviably the tail—of the snake, and would fling the reptile to a distance. He would then at once rush towards his persecutor, and sit down beside him, as though to intimate that he wished to be friends. “There was only one method from which there was no escape ; this was to tie the snake loosely around the upper part of Jacob’s chain, and then hold it so that a little shaking caused the reptile to shde towards hin. « After several j jumps and grimaces, he would appear to be convinced that escape was useless, and would then resign himself complacently to his fate. “ Lying down on his side as though perfectly prepared for the worst, he would remain as though dead. But as soon as the snake was taken away, the mercurial temperament of the creature instantly showed itself; for he would then jump on the shoulders of any person who might happen to be near, and would play off some practical joke as a retaliation. “ Although evidently alarmed whenever snakes were brought near him, he still appeared perfectly to understand that nothing more than a joke was intended. “ His treatment of small dogs was very quaint. “Tf by chance a young pup came near him, he would seize hold of it and cuddle it in his arms in a most affectionate and maternal way ; not being very particular, however, whether he held the animal by the ear, the tail, or a lee. “Tf the pup, as sometimes happened, objected to this treatment, and endeavoured to escape or to misbehave, Jacob would catch hold of its hind leg or tail, and would swing it round at arm’s length, and at last fling it from him, “The morning of life is decidedly the period of light-heartedness with the baboon ; when the weight of years has been accumulated upon the shoulders of a veteran he becomes staid and philosophic, and sometimes rather quarrelsome, objecting strongly to the presuming manners of his juniors, and taking every opportunity to punish “them should they be caught taking liberties with him.” The Chacma is supposed to be rather a long-lived animal, and with some reason. For although it is not easy to follow the course of a Chacma’s existence from birth to death, and there are not as yet any official registers among the quadrumanous tribe, there are certain registers which are written by Nature’ s hand, and not subject to erasion, forgery, or alteration, One of these official registers, is the proportion that exists between the time which is passed by an animal before it attains its adult state, and the entire term of its life. It is found that the Chacma arrives at its full development at the age of eight or nine years ; and, therefore, its lease of life may be calculated at about forty years. The chief, and most legitimate food of this baboon, is the plant which is called from this circumstance, Babiana. It affords a curious example of vegetable life existing under trying circumstances, as it only gets rain for three months in the year; and during the remainder of the twelvemonth is buried in a soil so parched, that hardly any plant except itself can exist. The portion that is eaten is the thick, round, subterraneous stem, which 70 THE BABOON. is neatly peeled by the more fastidious baboons, and eaten entire by the less refined and more hungry animals. The number of species belonging to the Dog-headed Baboons is very limited. All of them seem to be possessed of very similar habits and modes of action. The species which is represented in the accompanying engraving presents characteristics that are typical of the entire race, and is therefore called the Baboon, par eacellence. There is some difficulty about the precise distinctions between several of the species,—a circumstance which, although to be regretted, is almost inevitable from the great external changes which are occasioned by age and sex, and the impossibility of keeping a close watch on these animals in their wild state. The most interesting portion of natural history is that which relates the habits and manners of the creatures observed ; and in the majority of instances the narrations are given by persons who, although fully alive to the little traits of temper, humour, or ingenuity, are unacquainted w ith the more recondite details of systematic zoology. Consequently, an act performed by a baboon is considered by them in virtue of the deed itself, rather than in relation to the particular species of the animal who achieved it ; and the intellectual power displayed by the animal is thought to be of more real value than the number of projections upon its molar teeth. This uncertainty is very great among the baboons, and as long as an act of theft or cunning is performed by a baboon, the narrator seems to care little whether the species be the Chacma, the Baboon, the Papion, or any other member of the same genus. There are many most curious and interesting anecdotes on record which admirably illustrate the baboon nature, and yet which are not to be attributed with absolute certainty to any one species. For example, there is a well-authenticated tale of a tame baboon which used to perform all kinds of clever tricks, some for the pecuniary benefit of its master, and others for its own individual pleasure. The animal must have been of great service to its owner, for it cost him nothing in food, being accustomed to steal its own daily supply. On one occasion this capability was put to the test; a date-seller being the unfortunate subject upon whom the talents of the baboon were tried. The performance began by a simulated fit on the part of the animal, which fell down apparently in great pain, and grovelled on the earth in a paroxysm of contortions, its eyes steadily fixed on those of the date-seller. Apparently motiveless as this conduct might be, it was the result of much care, for every writhing twist of the body brought the. creature nearer to the basket which con- tained the coveted dainties. When it had arrived within reach, it fixed the date-seller’s attention by strange grimaces, and, with its hind feet, commenced emptying the basket. The most absurd part of the story is, that its “wicked conscience smited it” for the theft, and that it perfectly understood the unjustifiable character of the deed which it had just accomplished; for, as it was retreating, after having secured its plunder, a mischievous boy gave the animal a sly tug of the tail. The baboon, fancying that the insult had come from the date-seller, in reprisal for the abstraction of his goods, turned round, flew at the man, and, if it had not been captured by its master, would probably have done him some material injury. A very quaint story is told of the same animal, which, if true, exhibits the strangest combination of cunning, simplicity, and ready wit, that ever entered the brain of living creature. At all events, if it be not true, it ought to be so. It appears that the baboon was so tame, and had proved so apt a pupil, that its master had taught it to watch the pot in which he prepared his dinner, and was accustomed to leave it in charge of the culinary department while he was engaged in other business. One day, he had prepared a fowl for his dinner, and, after putting it into the pot, and the pot on the fire, went away for a time, leaving the baboon in charge, as usual. For a time all went well, and the animal kept a quiet watch over the fire. After a while, it was seized with a desire to see what might be in the pot, and so, taking off the lid, peeped in, The odour that issued from the boiled fowl was gratifying to the “animal’s THE BABOON. 71 nostrils, and induced it, after a brief mental struggle, to pick just a little bit from the fowl, and to put the bird back again. This was done accordingly, but the experiment was so very successful that it was speedily repeated. Again and again was a morsel pinched from the fowl, until the natural consummation followed—the fowl was picked quite clean, and nothing left but the bones. Now came remorse and sudden fear, causing the wretched animal to chatter with terror at the thought of the scarifying which was sure to follow so grievous an offence. What was the poor thing to do? Time was passing, and the master must soon return for his dinner. At last a brilliant thought flashed through the animal's brain, and it immediately acted upon the idea. Now, in order to understand the depth of the craft which was em- ployed, it must be remembered that the baboons are furnished, in common with very many monkeys, with two callosities on the hinder quarters, which serve them tor seats, and which are, in these animals, of a light red colour. Rolling itself over and over in the dust, it covered its body with an uniformly sombre coating, and then, gathering itself well together, and putting its head and knees on the ground, it presented an appearance marvellously resembling a rough block of stone with two pieces of raw meat laid on its top. In those climates the birds of prey absolutely swarm, and, being encouraged by their well-earned impunity, crowd round every place where cooking is going on, and where they may have a chance of securing a portion,either by lawful gift, or lawless rapine. Several of these birds, among which were some kites, being attracted by the scent of the boiling meat, came to the spot, and seeing, as they thought, some nice raw meat tempt- ingly laid out for them, swept upon their fancied prize. THE BABOON.—Cynocéphalus Babouin. In a moment the baboon had sprung to its feet, and, with a rapid clutch, seized one of the kites. The lid was again taken off the pot, and the shrieking and struggling prisoner thrust into the boiling water in spite of its beak and claws. The lid was then replaced, and the baboon resumed its post of sentry with the placid ease that belongs to a conscience void of offence. The baboons, when in their native fastnesses, are under a very complete system of discipline, and enforce its code upon each other most strictly. Considering the daring inroads which these creatures constantly make upon their neighbours’ property, and the daily dangers to which all gregarious animals are necessarily subject, the most wary vigilance and the most implicit obedience are necessary for the safety of the whole community. The acknowledged chiefs of the association are easily recognised by the heavy mass 72 THE BABOON. of hair that falls over their shoulders, and which, when thick and grey with age, is a natural uniform that cannot be wrongly assumed or mistaken. These leaders have a mode of communicating their orders to their subordinates, and they again to those placed under them, in a curiously-varied language of intonations. Short and sharp barks, prolonged howls, sudden screams, quick jabberings, and even gestures of limbs and person, are all used with singular rapidity, and repeated from one to the other. There wasa system of military telegraphing, by means of attitudes and sounds, which was invented some time ago, and which really might have been copied from the baboons, so much do their natural tactics resemble the artificial inventions of mankind. It must be remembered that, clever as are these animals, their ingenuity is quite equalled, and even surpassed, by many of the animal kingdom which are placed much lower in its system. Therefore, although these examples of their sagacity are thus placed on record, it 1s not to be imagined that the quadrumanous animals are put forward as the most rational of the lower creations. In recording the known instances of the mental powers displayed by the monkey tribe, we only give to the creature its due meed of praise, and act honestly by treating of every being with equal justice. It is so sad that many writers should set about such a task, having a purpose to serve, and that, in order to give to their own theory the greatest weight, they lay the greatest stress upon those records which tell in their favour, while they suppress those facts which might tend to overthrow or modify their own peculiar views. To resume the account of the baboons :— Like all animals which assemble in flocks, they never rest or move without the protection of certain sentries, which are chosen out of their number, and which keep the most careful watch over the troop to which they belong. The duty is anything but an agreeable one, and its labours are equally divided among the community, each competent member taking that task upon himself in his own turn. When they make an attack upon a field or a plantation, they always guard against surprise by posting sentries on elevated spots, and, knowing that due notice will be given if any suspicious object be seen or heard, they dé@yote all their energies to the congenial business of theft, while the sentries remain at their posts, never daring to withdraw their attention from the important charge which is committed to them. However, the sentinels do not entirely lose the benefit of all the good things, but take their proper share of the spoil after the thievish band has returned to a place of safety ; so that their greatest trial is an exercise of patience of rather a prolonged character. In their rocky fastnesses, their chief foe is the leopard, and so terrified are they at the very sound of their enemy’s voice, that even a very poor imitation of a growl is sufficient to set them flying off as fast as their legs can carry them, while a breath of air that bears upon its wings the least taint of that rank odour which exhales so powerfully from the large Felidie, scatters dire consternation among the assemblage. There is a story of a life saved by means of the ingenuity of a native servant, who, seeing his master beset by a party of angry baboons, quietly stepped behind a rock, and imitated the growl of a leopard with that startling fidelity that is so general an accomplishment among savage tribes. The leopard seldom attacks an adult baboon, not caring to risk its claws and fangs against the hands and teeth of so powerful an opponent. Much less does it openly venture to assault a band of baboons in hopes of securing one of their number. Its mode of procedure is by slily creeping round their rocky domains, and whipping off one of the young baboons before an alarm-is given. Bold as are these animals, they will not dare to follow a leopard into its den; so that, if their dreaded foe succeeds in once getting clear of their outposts, it may carry off its prey with impunity. The constant dread which the leopard seems to excite in a baboon’s mind appears to be occasioned more by the stealthy craft and persevering aggression of the animal, rather than by its physical powers alone. One of these animals, the Thoth Baboon, bore a conspicuous part in the sculptured mythology of the Egyptians, and may be seen in almost every stony document that is impressed with the hieroglyphical wisdom of that wondrous nation. Only the male . THE PAPION. 73 seems to have been considered worthy of forming one of the symbols of that representative language, as is shown by the fact that, whenever the Thoth Baboon is engraved, the large mass of hair over the shoulders proves it to be of the male sex, and adult. The attitude is generally a sitting position. Among the Eeyptians, the god Thoth held the same place among the minor deities, as Hermes of the Greeks, and Mercury of the Romans,—being probably the prototype of them both. Another well-known species of the Dog- headed Baboons is the PAPIoN, an animal of rather a more refined aspect than the Chacma, or, more properly speaking, not quite so brutal. The face, although unattractive enough, is yet not so repulsive as that of the Chacma, and the colours are rather more bright than those of that animal. Great reverence was paid to these crea- tures, and specially to certain selected in- dividuals which were furnished with a safe home in or near their temples, liberally fed while living, and honourably embalmed when dead. Many mummied forms of these baboons have been found in the temple caves of Egypt, swathed, and spiced, and adorned, just as if they had been human beings. Some authors say that the Thoth Baboon was an object of worship among the Eeyp- tians, but hardly with sufticient reason. G Z Various animal forms were used as visible THE PAPION.—Cynocéphalus Sphinz. living emblems of the attributes of deity, and the qualities of the human intellect, but were no more objects of idolatrous worship than the lion of England, or the eagle of America. The fur of the Papion is of a chestnut colour ; in some parts fading into a sober fawn, and in others warmed with a wash of ruddy bay. The paws are darker than the rest of the body. When young, it is of a lighter hue, and deepens in colour until it reaches its full age. In the prime of existence its colours are the lightest, but as years begin to lay their burden on the animal, the hairs begin to be flecked with a sheht grizzle, and, in process of time, the snows of age descend liberally, and whiten the whole fur with hoary hairs. The sense of smell is very largely developed in the baboons, their wide and roomy snouts giving plenty of space for the olfactory nerve to spread its branches. Aided by this formation, they are enabled to distinguish between poisonous and wholesome food— much to the advantage of their human neighbours, who profit by their intelligence, knowing that they may safely eat any vegetable which a baboon will admit into its list of viands. What is good for baboon is good for man, say they. As to the animal food in which these animals indulge, it might possibly be made use of under the pressure of imminent starvation, but hardly under any circumstances less distressing. It must require a very hungry man to eat a scorpion or a centipede, although ants and some other insects are said to possess quite a delicate and almond-like flavour. As has already been mentioned, they are singular adepts at discovering the presence of water, even though the priceless element should lie concealed under sand or stony ground. In such a case of subterraneous springs, the baboons set regularly to work, and, using their hands in lieu of spades and mattocks, dig with wonderful celerity. While thus working, they divide the task among themselves, and relieve each other at reoular intervals. ‘ When the baboons move in parties, they employ an almost military mode of arranging their numbers. In the advanced guard are the young males, who keep forward, well in 74 THE MANDRILL. front of the main body, and run from side to side, for the purpose of reconnoitering the ground over which they will have to pass. The females and their young occupy the centre, while the rear is brought up by the old and experienced males. Thus, the more active and vigilant animals lead the way, the weakest are kept under protection, and the powerful elders have the whole of their charge constantly in view. In order to ensure the utmost precision in the hne of march, several trusty animals are selected as “ whippers in,” whose business it is to keep order, to drive stragglers back to their proper position, to moderate the exuberant playfulness of the advanced guard, to keep a watchful eye upon the weaker members of the community, and to maintain a correspondence with the venerable chiefs in the rear. The number of individuals composing a troop is sometimes above one hundred, ten or twelve being adult males, twenty or so, adult females, and the rest of the band composed of the young of both sexes. The specimens of baboons that have been captured and domesticated, are generally taken by a crafty stratagem. Jars of well-sweetened beer are placed near their haunts, and drugged with some of those somniferous herbs which are so well known to the Orientals. The baboons, seeing the jars left apparently unwatched, come cautiously from their homes, and assemble round the novel articles with much erin and chatter. They first dip in a cautious finger, and taste suspiciously. Misgiving gives place to confidence, and they partake freely of the sweet treachery. The sporific liquid soon manifests its power, and the baboons fall easy victims to their captors. The two animals with which this history of baboons is closed, are removed from the preceding species, on account of various points in their conformation, and are placed in a separate genus, under the name of Papio. Few animals present a more grotesque mixture of fantastic embellishment and repulsive ferocity than the baboon which is known under the name of MANDRILL. The colours of the rainbow are emblazoned on the creature’s form, but always in the very spots where one would least expect to see them. A bright azure glows, not in its “eyes of heavenly blue,” but on each side of its nose, where the snout is widely expanded, and swollen into two enormous masses. The surfaces of these curious and very unprepossessing projections are deeply grooved, and the ridges are bedizened with the cerulean tint above mentioned. Lines of brilliant scarlet and deep purple alternate with the blue, and the extremity of the muzzle blazes with a fiery red like Bardolph’s nose. That all things should be equally balanced, the opposite end of the body is also radiant with chromatic effect, being plenteously charged with a ruddy violet, that is permitted to give its full effect, by the pert, upright carriage of the tail. The general colour of the fur is of an olive brown tint, fading into grey on the under side of the limbs, and the chin is decorated with a small yellow pointed beard. The muzzle is remarkable for a kind of rim or border, which is not unlike the corresponding part in a hog, and is well shown in the engraving. The ears are small, devoid of fur, and of a black colour with a tinge of blue. As in the Diana, the colours of this animal are more of a character that we look for in the plumage of birds, than in one of the mammals. These bright tints do not, however, belong to the hair, but only are developed in the skin, fading away after death, and turning into a dingy black. The same circumstance is found to take place in many other animals, the skin colours being very fugitive. So dependent are these tints upon the life of the animal, that unless it be in perfect health and strength, the bright colours dim their beauty, and form, by their brilliancy or faintness, a tolerable test of the state of the creature’s health. The curious cheek expansions are due, not to the muscles of the face, but to the very bones themselves, which are heavy, protuberant, and ridged in the bone skull as in the living head. This addition to the usual form of the skull, adds greatly to the brutish appearance of the animal, and gives it a less intelligent aspect than that which is seen in most of the monkey tribe. \A THE MANDRILL.—Pépio Maimon. —T= Only the male Mandrill possesses these strange adornments in their full beauty of size and colour, the females being only gifted with the blue tint upon the muzzle, and even that is of a much less brilliant hue than in the male. The cheek-bones are but little elevated above the face, and are without the deep furrows that give so strange an appearance to the male sex. : Even in the male animal, these ornaments do not fully develop themselves until the creature has attained maturity. Not until the task of dentition is fully accomplished does the Mandrill shine out in all the glory of his huge azure nose, his crimson mouth, and carmine termination. Of all the baboons, the Mandrill appears to be the most hopelessly savage, though examples are not wanting of individuals which have been subjected to kind treatment, and have proved tractable and gentle—that is, for baboons. The adult Mandrill is liable to terrible gusts of passion, during which it seems to be bereft of reason and possessed with an insane fury. That which in other monkeys is a hasty petulance, easily excited and soon passing away, becomes in this animal a paroxysm of wild and blind rage, to which the anger of an ordinary monkey is but a zephyr to a tornado. When thus infuriated—and but small cause is needed for its excitation—the animal seems to be beside itself with fury, heedless of everything but the object of its anger. 76 THE MANDRILL. A demon light elares from the eyes, and it seems verily possessed with a demon’s strength and malignity. With such violence do its stormy passions rage, that the vital powers themselves have been known to yield before the tempest that agitates the mind, and the animal has fallen lifeless in the midst of its wild yells and struggles. ; “Sudden and quick in passion” as is the Mandrill, it bears no short-lived anger, after the custom of most quick-tempered beimgs, but cherishes a rancorous and deeply-rooted vengeance against any one who may be unfortunate enough to irritate its froward temper. It will often call in the aid of its natural cunning, and will pretend to have forgotten the offence, in order to decoy the offender within reach of its grasp. The power of this animal is very great, and more than might be inferred from its size alone, though its dimensions are far from trifling. Although in a foreign land, this, in common with most of the monkey tribes, seldom reaches the stature to which it would have attained had it passed its existence among the congenial influences of its own country ; even in England it has been known to reach so considerable a size, that it was looked on as a dangerous animal, and one which required strong bars and careful surveillance. In this country, the Mandrill is seldom seen to equal a tolerably large terrier in size, but in its native land a full-grown male measures more than five feet when standing upright, a stature which equals, if-not excels, that of the chacma. As with monkeys in general, the muscular power is very great in proportion to the size of the limbs, and therefore the attack of a Mandrill is a serious matter, Even an armed man would as soon encounter a leopard or a bear as a Mandrill, while a weaponless man would be quite at the animal’s merey—and mercy it has none. Perhaps it may be on account of the repulsive look of this animal that it is held in such detestation by the natives, as much as on account of its ferocity and strength. Be this as it may, the Mandrill is thoroughly feared and hated by the inhabitants of Guinea. Unless they travel in large numbers and well armed, the natives shrink from passing through the woods in which these animals make their residence. For the Mandrills live in society, and their bands are so powerful in point of numbers, and so crafty in point of management, that they are about as formidable neighbours as could be imagined. It is said that wherever they take up their abode they assume supreme sway, attacking and driving from their haunts even the lordly elephant himself. These animals are also affirmed to keep a watch over the villages, and, when their male population is dispersed to field labour, that they issue in large companies from the woods, enter the defenceless villages, and plunder the houses of everything eatable, in spite of the terrified women. Some of the female population are said to fall victims to the Mandrills, which carry them away to the woods, as has been related of the Chimpansee. This latter assertion may be untrue, but it is strengthened by much collateral evidence. The large male baboons, when in captivity, always make a great distinction between their visitors of either sex, preferring the ladies to the gentlemen. Sometimes they are so jealous in their disposition that they throw themselves into a transport of rage if any attentions be paid to a lady within their sight. This curious propensity was once made the means of re-capturing a large baboon— a chacma—that had escaped from its cage in the Jardin des Plantes, in Paris. It had already baftled many attempts to entice it to its home, and when force was tried, repelled the assailants, severely wounding several of the keepers. At last a ready- witted keeper hit upon a plan which proved eminently successful. There was a little window at the back of the cage, and when the keeper saw the baboon in front of the open door, he brought a young lady to the window, and pretended to kiss her. The sight of this proceeding was too much for the jealous feeling of the baboon, which flew into the cage for the purpose of exterminating the offending keeper. Another keeper was stationed in ambush near the cage, and the moment the infuriated animal entered the den, he shut and fastened the door. The male Mandrills are always more ferocious and less tameable than the females, THE MANDRILL. 77 who are also comparatively free from the revolting habits that are so unfortunately found in the adult males. There are several instances on record of Mandrills which have led a peaceful life in captivity, and learned many accomplishments—some, perhaps, rather of a dubious nature. One of the most celebrated of these individuals, surnamed “Happy Jerry,” on account of his contented disposition, was a well-known inhabitant of the menagerie at Exeter Change during his lifetime ; and, even after his death, is still before the public who visit the British Museum. He was accustomed to drink porter, which he liked, and to smoke a pipe, which he tolerated. He had the honour of being a royal guest, by special invitation, and seems to have passed a life as happy as could well fall to the lot of an expatriated animal. There are several allusions to this baboon by ancient writers, although they seem to have been very undecided about the real character of the animal. Topsel gives a really good illustration of the Mandrill, placing it among the hyznas, because preceding writers had done so. However, his own penetrative mind refused ie accept this opinion, and after saying that it might be the Artocyon, a beast which was supposed to be the offspring of bear and dog, diffidently puts forward his own idea on the subject, which is the correct one, as is usual when men will venture to think boldly for themselves, and shake off the trammels of conventional prejudice. “ His fore-feet,” says Topsel, “are divided like a man’s fingers. It continually holdeth up his tail, for at every motion it turneth that as other beasts do their head. It hath a short tail, and but for that I should judge it to be a kind of ape.” Many of the traits recorded by the same author are precisely applicable to the Mandrill, although, as he thought, that it ought to be a hyzena, he has intermixed with his account a few truly hyenine anecdotes. His name for it is, “The Second Kinde of Hyzena, called Papio, or Dabuh.” In its native land, the usual food of the Mandrill is of a vegetable nature, although, in common with the rest of the baboons, it displays a great liking for ants, centipedes, and similar creatures. Sometimes it happens that it takes a carnivorous turn, and then will capture and devour small birds, quadrupeds, and reptiles. In captivity it 1s tolerably carnivorous, its tastes being sufficiently universal to accommodate itself to strong drink, as well as to civilized fare. Meat of all kinds seems acceptable to the animal, as does beer and wine. Tobacco, as we have seen, it can endure, but hardly appreciate. It drinks by shooting forward its mobile lips into the vessel, and drawing the liquid into its mouth by suction. When it eats, it generally commences its repast by filling its pouches with food in readiness for another meal, and unless very severely pressed by hunger, never neglects this precaution. The tail of this animal is a remarkable feature, if it may so be termed, in the general aspect of the baboon. It is short, set high on the back, and curved upwards in a manner that is most singular, not to say ludicrous, in the living animals, and conspicuously notice- able in the skeleton. The skull of an adult Mandrill is most brutal in character. The brain has but little place in the cranium, and the greater part of the surface is either com- posed of, or covered with, heavy ridges of solid bone that are formed for the support of the large muscles which move the jaws. The eyes are placed extremely high in the face, leaving hardly any forehead above them, and they are deeply set beneath a pair of morosely overhanging brows. The hair on the head is rather peculiar in its arrangement, forming a kind “of “pointed crest on the crown, and thus giving an almost triangular outline to the head. It is a very common animal in its own country, but on account of its great strength, cunning, and ferocity, is not so often captured as might be expected. Even when a specimen is made prisoner, it is generally a very young one, which soon loses in captivity the individuality of its being ,and learns to accommodate itself to the altered circumstances among which it is placed. 78 THE DRILL The name “ Maimon,” which is applied to the Mandrill, is most appropriate. It is a Greek word, signifying a hobgoblin, and is therefore peculiarly applicable to so uncanny a looking animal. The DRILL, co-native with the Mandrill, of the coast of Guinea, somewhat resembles the female or-young male mandrill, and is not of quite so savage and grotesque an aspect as that animal. Its cheek-bones are not nearly so protuberant as those of the mandrill’s, nor is its skin so brilhantly coloured. The upper parts of the body are greener than those of the mandrill, the yellow rings in the hair being more frequent. Its face and ears are of a light polished black, and the palms of the hands and feet are devoid of hair, and of a coppery tinge. Formerly the Drill was thought to be only a young mandrill, and was so named. But the fact that even after their second dentition, the male Drills do not put on the furrowed THE DRILL.—Papio Leucopheus. cheek-bones, or the bright colouring that distineuishes the mandrill, is sufficient to prove that it is a distinct species. Little is known of its habits when in a state of nature, as it has probably been con- founded with the mandrill, and its deeds narrated as if they belonged to the last-named annnal. It is a frequent visitor to England, and lives in tolerably good health. As far as is known, it is much ke the mandrill and other baboons in temper, being quiet and docile when young, but subsiding into morose apathy as it becomes older. The little stumpy tail is very like that of the mandrill, and is covered with short and stiff hair. Its leneth is not more than two inches even in a full-grown male. The Drill is always a smaller animal than the mandrill, and the female much smaller than the male, from whom she differs also in the comparative shortness of her head, and the generally paler tint of her fur. AMERICAN MONKEYS. WE have now taken a rapid survey of the varied forms which the Quadrumana of the old world assume ; forms so diversified that there hardly seems to be scope for further modifications. Yet the prolific power of nature is so inexhaustible, that the depth of our researches only brings to view objects of such infinite variety of shape that the mind is lost in wonder and adimiration. 80 AMERICAN MONKEYS. » oe Thus it is with the Cebide. or American Monkeys. While preserving the chief characteristics of the monkey nature, thus proving their close relationship with the Old World monkeys, they exhibit the strangest modification of details. The four hand-like paws, and other quadrumanous peculiarities, point out their position in the animal kingdom, while sundry differences of form show that the animals are intended to pass their life under conditions which would not suit the monkeys of the Old World. It is curious to observe how the same idea of animal life is repeated in various lands and various climates, even though seas, now impassable to creatures unaided by the hght of true reason, separate the countries in which they dwell. So we have the Simiade of Asia and Africa represented by the Cebidee of America. The lion, tiger, and other Felidee of the Eastern continents, find Western representatives in the jaguar and puma. The dogs are spread over nearly the whole world, taking very diversified forms, colour, and dimen- sions, but still being unmistakeably dogs. The same circumstance may be remarked of nearly all the families of mammalian animals ; of the chief bird forms ; of the reptiles ; the fishes, and so on, through the entire animal kingdom. It seems, also, as if a similar system ran through the various classes of the animal king- dom, the nature or instinct being the original creation, and the outward shape only the manifestation thereof. Thus, taking the Destructive Idea, as an example. Among the Mammalia it takes form as a lion, a tiger, or a leopard. In the birds, it becomes an eagle or a falcon. Descending to the reptiles, we find the destructive idea more constantly developed in the crocodiles and alligators, and serpents; while among fishes, the lowest of the vertebrated animals, the shark, pike, and indeed almost every species of fish, exhibits this same idea enshrined in outward shape. The records of the past, written upon rocks and stones, prove that in the earlier ages of this world the destructive element was powerfully manifested and widely diffused, and that nearly every creature to whom Almighty God imparted the breath of animated life, and that moved on the earth in those strange dark times, was of a rapacious character, living almost exclusively on slanghtered animals, and waging ceaseless wars against every being less powerful than itself. As the earth, under the moulding hand of its divine Maker, advanced towards a more perfect state of being, the old fierce creations died out, and were replaced by milder and gentler races. Thus, by slow degrees, it was made a fit residence for man, the epitome of all previous beings, combining in himself a capacity of inflicting torture more appalling than the aggregated cruelty of all the rapacious animals that belong to the material world, and a faculty of self-sacrificing love that belongs wholly to the better world to which he alone is privileged to look forward. Even in man himself, there exists an analogy from which we may infer that the same erand system reigns. At one extreme of the human scale we see the ruthless savage, pouring out blood like water, exultant at another’s suffering, and feasting with diabolical enjoyment on the banquet torn from the still breathing body of his fellow man. At the other extreme we have the man, more like what God intended that being to be when He made him in His own image, shunning to pain another even by an unkind thought, the aim of whose life is to love and to fabour for all mankind. “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth,” was the benediction pronounced upon the true humanity, and just as good is in itself its own blessed reward, and through love continually gives birth to love, so evil, being destructive, bears within its very being the doom of eternal death, and by unwilling self-annihilation prepares the way for better and higher natures. Therefore, in the earlier and less perfect races, there was greater destructiveness, because there was more evil to destroy. Herein we may find a key to that problem that must present itself to all reflective minds, namely, the reason why rapacious animals should exist at all. The answer to this enigma is, that all creation represents somewhat of the Creator’s being, and thus the destructive animals are the visible embodiments of God’s evil-destroying power. As the evil is destroyed, so will the destroyers perish, “the evil beasts shall cease out of the land,” and vanish from the face of the earth as completely as the rapacious CHAMECK.—Aleles Chameck. saurians of cons long passed away, leaving but their dry and fossil remains as records of an evil time that has been, but is no longer. So with mankind. The wild beasts melt away before the savage man, and the human wild beasts die out before the resistless march of higher races; and thus the earth is gradually purified and regenerated. Imperfect though it be, the world is better than it has ever been, and it rests with each individual who is placed upon it, to aid by his own efforts the advancement of the orb on which he lives, and the progress of that vast humanity of which he forms a part. In each embodiment of the prevailing idea there is a strong individuality, which causes ereat modifications in the external form, according to the time, place, and climate, in which the animal is intended to pass its existence. The lion, tiger, wolf, bear, and weasel, are all rapacious animals, being inspired with the same prevailing principle ; but each carries out that principle in its own way, and thus performs its allotted task without interfering with the work which is assigned to any other being. As with the mammals, so with the birds, the eagle, vulture, owl, and shrike, being examples of different kinds of rapacity. The same remark may be made upon the instances which have just been quoted from the reptiles and the fishes. So, all the parts of the world are filled with endless variety, and whether by night or day, in the fierce rays of the tropical sun, or under the sunless winter of the polar regions, earth, air, and water, are peopled with infinite multitudes of living forms, each performing its allotted task in working out its individual portion of the universal principle. It appears to be only consistent w ith reason, to suppose that this system is not solely confined to the animal kingdom, but reigns through the entire creation, and that even in vegetable and mineral ob ijects we may discover the same beautiful order to prevail. The curiously shaped ene which is represented in the above engraving, is an excel- lent example of the Cebidie, or Sapajous, as they are often called. The name “ Ateles,” which is given to the entire genus to which this animal belongs, signifies “imperfect,” and has been applied to the creatures because the fore-paws are devoid of useful thumbs. Sometimes that member is almost entirely absent, and in other instances it only just shows itself. In the CHAMECK, the thumb is slightly projecting, but even in this case it has only a single joint, and is not furnished with a nail after the usual custom of thumbs and fingers. Even when the thumb reaches its createst size, it cannot be used as the human thumb, as it is not capable of being opposed ‘to the fingers. ie G 82 THY COAITA., The Chameck is a native of various parts of Brazil, where it is found rather profusely. From all accounts, it seems to be a very gentle creature, and susceptible of a high amount of cultivation. It does not appear to be so capricious of temper as the monkeys “of the Old World, and although playful when in the humour for sport, is not so spitefully tricky as its transatlantic relatives. It soon learns to distinguish those persons who treat it with kindness, and will often enter into playful mock combats, pretending to inflict severe injuries, but never doing any real damage. It is not a very large animal, the length of its body being about twenty inches, and the tail just over two feet in length. The fur is tolerably long, and falls densely over the body and limbs. On referring to the engraving, it will be seen that the hair is longer than usual by the region of the hips, and rather thickly overhangs the hinder quarters. This arrangement seems to stand the creature in place of the. callosities which have so often been alluded to, and which are not possessed by the Cebide. These monkeys are also destitute of cheek-pouches, but, as if to compensate them for the want of these appendages, they are furnished with an additional supply of teeth, having thirty-six instead of thirty- two, which is the ordinary complement. The nostrils are very different from those of the monkeys which have already been described, as they open at the sides mstead of underneath, and are separated from each other by a wide piece of cartilage. The ear is less unlike that of man than is the case with the greater part of the monkey tribe, the greatest distinction between the two being that the ear of the monkey is destitute of that soft lower lobe, which is so characteristic of the human ear, and through which ladies barbarously hook their auricular trinkets. If the reader will refer to the illustration of the Chameck, he will see that the tail is the most conspicuous member of the animal. For the greater part of its leneth it is thickly covered with long drooping fur, but the last seven or eight inches are nearly denuded of hair on the upper surface, and entirely so on the lower. Towards the base it is extremely thick, and is furnished with muscles of great strength and marvellous flexibility, destined to aid the member in the performance of those curiously active movements for which these monkeys are so renowned. The tail of these animals is to them equivalent, and more than equivalent, to a fifth hand. The naked extremity is endowed with so sensitive a surface that it can be applied to most of the uses to which the hand can be put, while the powerful muscles that move it are so strong and lithe that they can exert a singular amount of strength, even so as to suspend the entire weight of the animal. In ascending trees or traversing the branches, the monkeys continually aid their progress by twining the end of the tail round the neighbouring boughs. Sometimes they even suspend themselves wholly by their tails, and. after giving their bodies a few oscillating movements, boldly swing themselves from one beincn “to another, clearing considerable spaces in the effort. On account of these capabilities, the tail is known by the name of “ prehensile.” The colour of the Chameck is nearly black, and of an uniform tint over the head, body, and limbs. Its hair is rather long and thick, in some parts taking a slight curl. The head is very small in proportion to the rest of the body. During the life of the animal the face is of a deep brown colour, as are the ears, cheeks, and chin, on which some long black hairs are scattered at distant itervals. Its lips are possessed of some mobility, but not equal to those of the chimpansee or orang-outan. The Coarra, or QUATA, as the word is frequently written, resembles the chameck in many characteristics. It is one of the best known of this group of animals, which are called by the name of Spider Monkeys, on account of their long sprawling limbs, and their peculiar action while walking. Tt is very remarkable, that although these creatures appear to be much less calculated for bipedal locomotion than the large apes, they should really be better walkers than most of the monkey tribe. When placed on a level surface and desirous to walk “y ~ (Wat COAITA,—Ateles Paniscus, in an erect position, they always attempt to aid their tottering steps by means of their prehensile tails, which they twine about in every direction in the hope of grasping some object by which to help themselves along. But when they find that all chances of external support are vain, they bravely throw themselves on their own resources, and, using their tail as a balance, move along with tolerable ease. The mode in which they apply the tail to this unexpected use is by raising it up behind until it is on a level with the head, and then curling the tip of it downwards, so as to form the figure of a letter “8.” The spider monkeys can apply the tail to uses far more remarkable than any of those which have been mentioned. With such singularly delicate sense of touch is it furnished, that it almost seems to be possessed of the power of sight, and moves about among the branches with as much decision as if there were an eye in its tip. Should the monkey discover some prize, such as a nest of eges, or any little dainty, which lies in a crevice too small for the hand to enter, it is in nowise disconcerted, but inserts the eud of its tail into the cranny, and hooks out the desired object. It is impossible to contemplate this wonderful provision of nature without a feeling of admiration at the manner in which the most unlikely portions of an animal are developed for the purpose of performing sundry uses. There seems to be a curious parallel between the elephant’s trunk, and the spider monkey’s tail, being developments of the two opposite extremes of the body, the former belonging to the Old World and the latter to the New. There is a wonderful resemblance in the use to which these members are put, except- ing of course those discrepancies that must arise from the different natures of the organs, and the habits of the animals to which they belong. Even in external form the proboscis and the tail are marvellously similar; so much so, indeed, that an outline of one would G2 84 THE COAITA. almost serve as asketch of the other. Each is gifted with discriminating faculty of touch, and therefore able to pick up any small object; while at the same time its muscular powers are so great, that it can endure severe and prolonged exertion. The probosei is of the elephant can seize a tree-branch and tear it from its parent trunk. The spider monkey has no such gigantic streneth, but it can sling itself from a bough by its tail, and remain suspended for almost any length of time. There is a beautiful formation of the tail of this creature, by means of which the grasp of that member retains its hold even after the death of the owner. If : spider monkey is mortally wounded, and not killed outright, it curls its tail round a branch, and thus suspended yields wp its life. The tail does not lose its erasp when the ie has departed ; and the dead monkey hangs with its head downwards for days, until decomposition sets in and the rigid muscles are relaxed. We may here trace another curious analogy between this automatic contraction of the tail, and the well-known structure by which a bird is enabled to hold itself on its perch during sleep. If the spider monkey’s tail be drawn out till it is straightened, the tip immediately curls round, and remains so until the member is suffered to return to its usual curve. Perhaps one reason for this provision may be, that it is for the purpose of retaining the animal in its arboreal residence, and euarding it against a fall. Still, it is a curious fact, and cannot be wholly accounted for on those grounds ; for the monkeys of the Old World, although not gifted with prehensile tails, are quite as arboreal as their brethren of the New, and consequently as lable to Eutychian casualties. It may be remarked, en passant, that there are Preacher Monkeys in America, and conse- quently that an especial provision against such misfortunes may be more requisite in Brazil than in Africa. In their native country, the spider monkeys may be seen in great profusion, swinging from the tree-branches in groups, like bunches of enormous fruits. They are very lazy animals, and will sit, swing, or recline for hours in the strangest attitudes without moving a limb; just as if they were striving to emulate the Hindoo Fakirs in their motionless penances. Such a propensity is the more curious, because the sheht forms of the animals, their long and slender limbs, and above all, their wonderful tail, would lead us to anticipate the same singular swiftness and activity that are found in the gibbons. In the American monkeys, however, we do not find the capacious chest and thin flanks which mark out the character of the gibbons. Yet, when aroused by hunger or other sufficient motive, the spider monkeys can move fast enough ; and in such a manner, that nothing without wines can follow them. In their native land, the forests are so dense and so vast, that if it were not for the rivers which occasionally cut their path through the dark foliage, the monkeys could travel for hundreds of miles without once coming to the ground. Not that the monkeys care very much for a river, provided that the distance between the banks is not very great; and as they detest going into the water, they most in- geniously contrive to get over without wetting a hair, The manner in which they are said to achieve this feat of engineering is as follows. When a marching troop, often amounting to a hundred or more, arrives at the bank of a river, the principal body halts, while the oldest and most experienced of their band run forward, and carefully reconnoitre the locality. After mature deliberation they fix on some spot where the trees of the opposite banks incline riverwards, and approximate nearest to each other. tunning to the overhanging boughs, the most powerful monkeys twist their tails firmly round the branch, and permit themselves to hang with their heads downwards. Another monkey then slides down the body of the first, twines his tail tightly round his predecessor, and awaits his successor. In this way a long chain of monkeys 1 is gradually formed, until the last, who is always one of the strongest of the troop, is able to plant his paws on the eround. He then begins to push the “ground with his hands, so as to give the dependent chain a slight oscillating movement, which is increased until he is able to seize a branch on the opposite side of the river. Having so done, he draws himself gradually up the branches, until he finds one that THE MARIMONDA, 85 is sufliciently strong for the purpose in view, and takes a firm hold of it. The signal is then given that all is ready, and the rest of the band ascend thie tree, and cross the river by means of this natural suspension bridge. So far, so good! The monkeys run over the bridge easily enough; but how is the bridge itself to get over. Their plight is very like that of the man who invented a system of iron doors to be closed from the interior, and who, after closing them in the most admurable and effectual manner, was obliged to open them again in order to get out. Still, whatever may be the case with human beings, when monkeys are clever enough to make such a bridge, they are at no loss to achieve the passage of the bridge itself. Two or three of the stoutest ke ep themselves in reserve for this emergency, and, attaching themselves to the last links of the living chain, relieve their comrade from his arduous task of clutching the boughs, and at the same time slightly lengthen the chain. They then clamber up the tree as high as the chain will stretch, or the boughs bear the strain, and take a firm hold of a tough branch. A second signal is now given, and the monkey on the opposite bank relaxing his hold, the entire line of monkeys swings across the river, perhaps, slightly ducking the lowermost in the passage. Once arrived, the lower monkeys drop to the ground, while the others catch at branches, and break their connexion with the much- enduring individual at the top. When the last monkey has secured itself, the leaders descend the tree, and the whole troop proceed on their march. Those who have witnessed this curious scene, say that it is a most amusing affair, and that there is a considerable comic element in it, on account of the exuberant spirits of the younger and less staid individuals, who delight in playing off little practical jokes on the component parts of the bridge in their passage; knowing that there is no opportunity for immediate retaliation, and trusting to escape ultimately in the confusion that follows the renewal of the march. The Coaita is by no means a large animal, measuring very little more than a foot from the nose to the root of the tail, while the tail itself is two feet in length. Its colour is very dark and glossy ; so dark, indeed, as to be almost black. The hair varies much in length and density. On the back and the outside of the limbs it hangs in long drooping locks, forming a thick covering through which the skin cannot be seen. But on the abdomen the hair is quite scanty, and is so thinly seattered that the skin is plainly visible. The skin of the face is of a dark copper colour. The Coaita seems to be as much averse to the intrusion of strangers into its domains as the African monkeys, whose proceedings have been already narrated. Banding together in large troops, these monkeys will assault a stranger with great vigour, Their first proceeding upon the approach of any imtruder, w hether man or bes ast, is to descend to the lower branches of their trees, and to satisfy themselves by a close inspection, whether the object be a friend or a trespasser. Having decided on the latter point of view, they re-ascend to their stronghold, and commence an assault by pelting with sticks, and keep. up their attacks, until they fairly worry the intruder out of their dominions. Another example of this wonderful group of monkeys is found in the MARIMONDA ; an inhabitant, like the two last-named aninals, of Central America, and found in greatest numbers in Spanish Guiana, where, according to Humboldt, it fills the place of the Coaita. The general shape, the formation of its limbs, and the long prehensile tail, point it out at once as another of the spider monkeys. It is certainly a very appropriate name for these animals. Their heads are so small, their bodies so short, their limbs so slender, and their tail so limb-like, that the mind unconsciously draws a parallel between these monkeys and the long-legged spiders that scuttle so awkwardly over the ground, and are so indifferent respecting their complement of legs. The resemblance holds good even when the monkey is at rest, or even when it only appears before the eye in an illustration. But when the creature begins to walk on level ground, and especially if it be hurried, its clumsy movements are so very spider-like, that the similitude is ten times more striking. Be it remarked, that both creatures are sup- posed to be placed in uncongenial circumstances. The spider is deft and active enough among the many threads of its air-suspended nets, as is the monkey among the slight 86 THE MARIMONDA. twigs of the air-bathed branches. But when both animals are subjected to cireum- stances which are directly opposed to their natural mode of existence, they become alike awkward, and alike afford subjects of mirth. The mode by which a spider monkey walks on level ground is rather singular, and difficult to describe, being different from that which is employed by the large apes. They do not set the sole of either paw, or hand, flat upon the ground, but, turning the hinder feet inwards, they walk upon their outer sides. The reverse process takes place with the fore-paws, which are twisted outwards, so that the weight of the animal is thrown upon their inner edges. It will easily be seen how very awkward an animal must be which is forced to employ so complicated a means 7 the purpose of locomotion, Although it has been already stated that the spider monkey has been known to walk in a manner much more steady than that of any other monkey, yet it must be remembered that this bipedal pro- gression was only employed for a few paces, and with a haven of rest in view in the shape of a window-sill, on which the creature could rest its hands. MARIMONDA.—Ateles Bélzebuth. In captivity, the Marimonda is a gentle and affectionate animal, attaching itself strongly to those persons to whom it takes a fancy, and playing many fantastic gambols to attract their attention. Its angry feelings, although perhaps easily roused, “do not partake of the petulant malenity which so often characterizes the monkey race, and are quite free from the rancorous vengeance which is found in the baboons. Very seldom does it attempt to bite, and even when such an event does take place, it is rather the effect of sudden terror than of deliberate malice. On account of its amiable nature it is often brought into a domesticated state, and, if we may give credence to many a traveller, is trained to become not only an amusing companion, but an useful servant. The colour of this animal varies much according to the age of the individual. When adult, the leading colour is of an uniform dull “black, devoid of the glossy lustre which throws back the sunbeams" from the coaita’s furry mantle. On the back, the top of the head, and along the spine, the hair is of a dense, dead black, which seems to have earned for the animal the very inapposite name with which its nomenclators have thought fit to dedecorate the mild and amiable Marimonda. MIRIKI.—Brachyteles hypoxanthus. The throat, breast, inside of the limbs, and the under side of the tail are much lighter in tint, while in some individuals a large, bright chestnut patch covers the latter half of the sides. It seems to be of rather a listless character, delighting to bask in the sun’s rays, and lying in the strangest attitudes for hours without moving. One of the postures which is most in vogue is achieved by throwing the head back with the eyes turned up, and then flinging the arms over the head, The position in which this animal is depicted in the illustration i is a very favourite one with most of the spider monkeys. There are several other species belonging to this group of animals, among which may be mentioned the Cayou, or Black Spider. Monkey, the Chuva, the Brown Coaita, and others. The habits, however, of all these creatures are very similar, and therefore only one more example will be described. This is the Mrrikt, or Mono, as some authors call it. The hair of this species is very thick, short, and furry, of a tolerably uniform brown tint over the head, body, and limbs, the paws being much darker than the rest of the animal. There is a slight moustache formed by a continuation of the long black hairs which are scantily planted on the chin and face. On account of the thick coating of fur with which the skin of this animal is covered, water has but little effect upon it. Knowing this wet-repellent property, the hunters of Brazil are accustomed to make the skin of the Miriki into cases wherewith to cover the locks of their guns in rainy days. This species is easily distinguishable from its companions by the presence of a better developed thumb on the fore-paws than falls to the lot of spider monkeys generally. T conclude the account of the spider monkeys with a few anecdotes of one of these animals, that have been kindly narrated to me by its owner, a captain in the royal navy. 88 THE MIRIKTI. The monkey—a lady—to whom the name of Sally was given, was captured in British Guiana, and brought to the governor of Demerara, from whom it passed to its present gallant possessor. Sally seems to be a wondrous favourite, and to take in her owner’s heart the place of a favourite child. There are many photographic portraits of this sable pet, three of which are at present before me, one representing Sally as lying contentedly in her master’s lap, her little wrinkled face looking over his arm, and her tail twisted round his knees, while one hind-foot is grasping this appendage. A second portrait exhibits her standing on a pedestal, by the side of the captain’s coxswain,—to whose care she was chiefly committed—her left arm flung lovingly round his neck, and her tail coiled several times round his right hand, on which she is partly sitting. In the third, she is shown standing by the side of the same man, with her foot upon his hand, and the tip of her tail round his neck, by way of a change. In almost every case there is a slight blur in the monkey’s form, owing to the difficulty in persuading so volatile an animal as a monkey to remain still for two seconds together. However, the proportions of the animal are well preserved, and its characteristic attitudes shown clearly enough. She is a most gentle creature, only having been known to bite on two occasions, one of which was simply in self-defence. She had got loose in the dock yard at Antigua, and had been chased by the men for some time. At last she was hemmed into a corner, and would have been taken easily, had not the dockyard labourers rather feared her teeth. Her master, however, in order to prove that she was not dangerous, caught her, and was rewarded by a rather severe bite on his thumb. Had it not been, however, that poor Sally was terrified out of her senses by the pursuit of the labourers, she would not have behaved so badly. So gentle was she in general, that whenever she received a slight correction for some fault, she would never attempt to retaliate, but only sidle away and accept the rebuke. Malice does not seem to be in her nature, for she soon forgets such injuries, and does not lose her kind feelings towards her corrector. Her master tells me that if any one gets bitten by her, it is entirely the fault of the sufferer, and not of the monkey. On board ship she is not trammeled by chain or rope, but is permitted to range the vessel at her own sweet will. She revels among the rigging, and when she becomes playful, dances about a rope in such a strange manner, and flings her limbs and tail about so fantastically, that the spectators are at a loss to distinguish the arms and lees from the tail. When thus engaged, the name of spider monkey is peculiarly apposite, for she looks just like a great overgrown tarantula in convulsions. During these fits of sportive- ness, she stops every now and then to shake her head playfully at her friends, and, screwing up her nose into a point, utters little, short, soft grunts at intervals. She generally becomes vivacious towards sunset. There is a curious custom in which she is in the habit of indulging. She likes to climb up the rigging until she reaches a horizontal rope, or small spar, and then, hooking just the tip of her tail over it, will hang at full length, slowly swinging backward and forward, while she rubs each arm alternately from the wrist to the elbow, as if she were trying to stroke the hair the wrong way. She always must needs have her tail round something, and, if possible, would not venture a step without securing herself to some object by the means of that long and lithe member. Unlike many of her relatives, who are inveterate thieves, and with the tips of their tails quietly steal objects from which their attention is apparently turned, Sally is remarkably honest, never having stolen anything but an occasional fruit or cake. She is accustomed to take her dinner at her master’s table, and behaves herself with perfect decorum, not even beginning to eat until she has obtained permission, and keeping to her own plate like a civilized being. Her food is mostly composed of vegetables, fruit, and sopped bread, although she occasionally is treated to a chicken bone, and appreciates it highly. In the matter of food she is rather fastidious, and if a piece of too stale bread be given to- her, smells it suspiciously, throws it on the floor, and contemptuously ignores its existence. With true monkey instinct, she is capable of distinguishing wholesome from THE MIRIKL 89 harmful food, and, after she had left the tropical fruits far behind, she accepted at once an apple which was offered to her, and ate it without hesitation. At Belize, Sally was permitted to range the town at large for some days. One morning, as her master was passing along the streets, he heard igh above his head a little croaking sound, which struck him as being very like the voice of his monkey ; and on looking up, there was Sally herself, perched on a balcony, croaking in pleased recognition of her friend below. Once, and once only, poor Sally got into a sad scrape. Her master was going into his cabin, and found Sally sitting all bundled together on the door-mat. He spoke to her, and the creature just lifted up her head, looked him in the face, and sank down again in her former listless posture. “ Come here, Sally ;” said the captain. But Sally would not move. The order was repeated once or twice, and without the accustomed obedience. Surprised at so unusual a circumstance, her master lifted her by the arms, and then made the shocking discovery that poor Sally was quite tipsy. She was long past the jovial stage of intoxication, and had only just sense enough left to recognise her master. Very ill was Sally that night, and yery penitent next day. The reason for such a catastrophe was as follows :— The officers of the ship had got together a little dinner-party, and being very fond of the monkey, had given her such a feed of almonds and raisins, fruits of various kinds, biscuits and olives, as she had not enjoyed for many a day. Now of olives in particular, Sally is very fond, and having eaten largely of these dainties, the salt juice naturally produced an intense thirst. So, when the brandy and water began to make its appearance, Sally pushed her lips into a tumbler, and to the amusement of the officers, drank nearly the whole of its cool but potent contents. Her master remonstrated with the officers for permitting the animal to drink this strong liquid; but there was no necessity for expostulating with the victim. So entirely disgusted was the poor monkey, that she never afterwards could endure the taste or even the smell of brandy. She was so thoroughly out of conceit with the liquid that had wrought her such woe, that even when cherry-brandy was offered to her, the cherries thereof being her special luxury, she would shoot out her tongue, and with just its tip taste the liquid that covered the dainty fruits beneath, but would not venture further. She seemed to bear the cold weather tolerably well, and was supplied with plenty of warm clothing which stood her in good stead even off the icy coasts of Newfoundland, where, however, she expressed her dislike of the temperature by constant shivering. In order to guard herself against the excessive cold, she hit wpon an ingenious device. There were on board two Newfoundland dogs. They were quite young, and the two used to occupy a domicile which was furnished with plenty of straw. Into this refuge Sally would creep, and putting an arm round each of the puppies and wrapping her tail about them, was happy and warm. She was fond of almost all kinds of animals, especially if they were small, but these two puppies were her particular pets. Her affection for them was so great, that she was quite jealous of them, and if any of the men or boys passed nearer the spot than she considered proper, she would come flying out of the little house, and shake her arms at the intruders with a menacing gesture as if she meant to bite them. A kennel had been built for her special accommodation, but she never would go into it. She is a very nervous animal, and apparently has a great dislike to any kind of covering over her head. So she was accustomed to repudiate her kennel, and to coil herself up in the hammock nettings, where she would sleep soundly. She is rather somnolent in character, giving up her eventide gambols soon after dark, and falling into a sound slumber from which she does not awake until quite late in the morning. She has now been in the possession of her present owner some three years, and pro- bably is not more than four or five years of age, to judge by her teeth; though from her old-fashioned, wrinkled face, she might be a century old. Her colour is black, but it is 90 THE ARAGUATO. remarkable, that once when she was ill, her jetty coat became interspersed with hairs of a red tint, imparting an unpleasant rusty hue to her furry mantle. She is expected to reach England in the course of the summer, and it may chance that the public will one day have the opportunity of studying the biography of Sally the spider monkey. THE ANIMAL which is engraved on the next page, is an example of the celebrated group of Howirne Monkeys, or ALOUATTES as they are termed by some naturalists, whose strange customs have been so often noticed by travellers, and whose reverberating cries rend their ears. Little chance is there that the Howling Monkeys should ever fade from the memory of any one who has once suffered an unwilling martyrdom from their mournful yells. Several species of Howling Monkeys are known to science, of which the ARAGUATO as it is called in its own land, or the Ursine How er as it is popularly named in this country, is, perhaps, the commonest and most conspicuous. It is larger than any of the New World monkeys which have hitherto been noticed ; its length being very nearly three feet when it is fully grown, and the tail reaching to even a greater length. The colour of the fur is a rich reddish-brown, or rather bay, enlivened by a golden lustre when a brighter ray of hght than usual plays over its surface. The beard which so thickly decorates the chin, throat, and neck, is of a deeper colour than that of the body. Few animals have deserved the name which they bear so well as the Howling Monkeys. Their horrid yells are so loud, that they can be heard plainly although the animals which produce them are more than a mile distant ; and the sounds that issue from their curiously formed throats are strangely simulative of the most discordant outecries of various other animals—the jaguar being one of the most favourite subjects for imitation. Throughout the entire night their dismal ululations resound, persecuting the ears of the involuntarily wakeful traveller with their oppressive pertinacity, and driving far from his wearied senses the slumber which he courts, but courts in vain. As if to give greater energy to the performance, and to worry their neighbours as much as possible, the Aracuatos have a fashion of holding conversations, in which each member does his best to overpower the rest. A similar custom is in vogue with many of the African and Asiatic monkeys, but with this difference. The above-mentioned animals certainly lift up their voices together, but then, each individual appears to be talking on his own account, so that the sound, although it is sufficiently loud to affect a lstener’s ears most unpleasantly, is disjointed and undecided. But the Howlers give forth their cries with a consentaneous accord, that appears to be the result of discipline rather than of instinct alone. Indeed, the natives assert that in each company, one monkey takes the lead, and acting as toast-master, or as conductor of an orchestra, gives a signal which is followed by the rest of the band. The result of the combined voices of these stentorian animals may be imagined. And when the effect of this melancholy and not at all musical inter- mittent bellow is heightened by the silence of night and the darkness that hangs over the midnight hours in the dense forests, it may easily be supposed, that but little sleep would visit the eyes of one who had not served an apprenticeship to the unearthly sounds that fill the night air of these regions. Tn order that an animal of so limited a size should be enabled to produce sounds of such intensity and volume, a peculiar structure of the vocal organs is necessary. The instrument by means of which the Howlers make “night dismal with their funestral wailings, is found to be the “hyoid bone,” a portion of “the form which is very shehtly developed in man, but very largely in these monkeys. In man, the bone in question gives support to the tongue and is attached to numerous muscles of the neck. In the Howling Monkeys it takes a wider range of duty, and, by a curious modification of structure, forms a bony drum which communicates with the windpipe and gives to the voice that powerful resonance, which has made the Alouattes famous. It is said by those who have been able to watch the habits of these creatures, that the ARAGUATO, OR URSINE HOWLER.—Mycétes wrsinus. howlings of the Alouattes are but nocturnal serenades addressed by the amorous monkeys to their arboreal lovers. It is proverbial that good taste, both in beauty and art, are dependent entirely upon race and date, and so the deafening yells of a band of howling Araguatos may be as pleasing in the ears of their listening mates as Romeo's loving words to Juliet in her balcony ; or as, to bring the matter nearer our home and sympa- thies, the tender plaints of our favourite Tom-cat upon the housetop to his inamorata in the neighbouring garden. The howling monkeys are said to be less gentle than the spider monkeys, and to partake more of the baboon nature than any of their American brethren. From the fact of their large size, their formation of head and face, together with one or two other peculiarities, some naturalists have considered the Alouattes to be the Western representatives of the baboons that inhabit the Eastern continent. There is rather an ingenious mode of capturing these monkeys, which is worthy of notice. A certain plant, the “Lecythis,” produces a kind of nut, which, when emptied of its contents, becomes a hollow vessel with a small mouth. Into one of these hollowed nuts a quantity of sugar is placed, the nut left in some locality where the monkey is likely to find it, and the monkey-catchers retreat to some spot whence they can watch unseen the effect of their trap. So tempting an object cannot lie on the ground for any length of time without being investigated by the inquisitive monkeys. One of them soon finds out the sweet treasure of the nut, and squeezes his hand through the narrow opening for the purpose of emptying the contents. Grasping a handful of sugar, he tries to pull it out, but cannot do so because the orifice is not large enough to permit the passage of the closed hand with its prize. Certainly, he could extricate his hand by leaving the sugar and drawing out his hand empty, but his acquisitive nature will not suffer him to do so. At this juncture, the ambushed hunters issue forth and give chase to the monkey. At all times, these monkeys are clumsy enough on a level surface, but when encumbered with the heavy burden, which is often as big as the monkey’s own head, and deprived of one of its hands, it falls an easy victim to the pursuers. 92 CAPUCIN MONKEYS, All these monkeys are eaten by the mhabitants of these lands, being cooked upon an extempore scaffolding of hard wood. Their flesh is very dry indeed, so much so, that a monkey’s arm has been preserved for many years only by being roasted over a fire. They are not so playful in their habits as most of the monkey tribe, even when young preserving a solid gravity of demeanour. They are very numerous among the trees of their favourite resorts, as many as forty individuals having been seen upon one tree. The Capuctn Monkeys, two ex amples of which are here given, are active little animals, lively and playful. In habits, all the species seem to be very similar, so that the description of one will serve equally for any other. In consequence of their youth and sportive manners they are frequently kept in a domesticated state, both by the native Indians and by European settlers. Like several other small monkeys, the Capucin often strikes up a friendship for other animals that may happen to live in or near its home, the cat being one of the most favoured of their allies. SOHO RREAE it carries its familiarity so far as to turn the cat into a steed for the nonce, and, seated upon her back, to perambu- late the premises. More unpromising subjects for cue exercise have been pressed THE CAPUCIN,—Cebus Apella, HORNED SAPAJOQU.—Cebus fatuellus. into the service by the Capucin. Humboldt mentions one of these creatures which was accustomed to catch a pig every morning, and, mounting upon its back, to retain its seat during the day. Even while the pig was feeding in the savannahs its rider remained firm, and bestrode its victim with as much pertinac ity as Sinbad’s old man of the sea. There is some difficulty in settling the species of the Capucins, for their fur is rather variable in tint, in some cases differmg so greatly as to look like another species. The general tint of the CAPUCIN is a golden olive, a whiter fur bordering the face in some individuals, though not in all. The HorNED CAPUCIN is much more conspicuous than the last-mentioned animal, as the erect fringe of hair that stands so boldly from the forehead points it out at once. When viewed in front, the hair assumes the appearance of two tufts or horns, from which peculiarity the creature derives its name. These horns are not fully developed until the monkey has attaimed maturity. Tn colour, too, it is rather different from the Capucin, having a constant tinge of red init. The fur is mostly of a deep brown, but in some individuals resembles that peculiar purple black which is obtained by diluting common black ink with water, while in others the ruddy hue prevails so strongly as to impart a chestnut tint to the hair. The fringed crest is tipped with grey. The last example of the Capucins which will be noticed in these pages, is the WEEPER MONKEY, or SAI. al SATI.—Cebus Capucinus, As is the case with the two previously-mentioned animals, it is an inhabitant of the Brazils, and as lively as any of its congeners. The tails of the Capucins are covered with hair, but are still possessed of prehensile powers. All these monkeys seem to be possessed of much intelligence, and their little quaint ways make them great favourites with those who watch their motions. Their food is chiefly of a vegetable nature, but they are fond of various insects, some- times rising to higher prey, as was once rather unexpe sctedly proved. A linnet was placed, by way of “experiment, in a cage containing two Capucin monkeys, who pounced upon their winged visitor, caught it, and the stronger of the two devoured it with such av idity that it would not even wait to pluck off the feathers. Eggs are also thought to form part of the Capucin’s food. There is always much difficulty with regard to the names of various anunals, as almost every systematic naturalist prefers a name of his own invention to one which has already been in use. It often happens, therefore, that the same creature has been burdened with ten or fifteen titles, given to it by as many writers. The chacma, for example, has been named “Cynocephalus porcarius” by one author, “Simia porearia” by another, “ Simia sphingiola” by a third, “ Papio comatus” by a fourth, and “ Cynoce phalus ursinus ’ by a fifth. In order to avoid the great waste of valuable space that would be caused by giving a list of these various names, I only make use of the title by which each animal is designated in the catalogue of the British Museum, and under which name it may be found in that magnificent collection. A very pretty genus of monkeys comes next in order, deriving, from the beauty of their fur, the term Callithrix, or “ beautiful hair.” Sometimes these animals are called Squirrel Monkeys, partly on account of their shape and size, and partly from the squirrel- like activity that characterizes these light and graceful little creatures, The TEE-TEE, or 94 THE TEE-TEE Tit1—as the name is sometimes given—is a native of Brazil, and is found in ereat numbers. Another name for the animal is the SAIMIRI. The colours of the Tee-tee are very diversified. A greyish olive is spread over the body and limbs, the latter bemg w ashed with a rich golden hie The ears are quite white, and the under surface of the body is whitish grey. The tip of the tail is black. There ave several species of Tee-tee, four of which are in the British Museum. Our engraving of the last of these monkeys, namely, the COLLARED TEE-TEE, is given opposite. "They are most engaging little creatures, attaching themselves strongly to their possessors, and behaving with a gentle intelligence that lifts them far above the greater part of the monkey race. Their temper is most amiable, and anger seems to be almost TEE-TEE.—Callithri« Scivivreus. unknown to them. In the expression of their countenance, there is something of an infantine innocence, which impresses itself the more strongly when the little creatures are alarmed. Sudden tears fill the clear hazel eyes, and, by the little, imploring, shrinking gestures, they establish an irresistible claim on all landly sympathies. The Tee-tees have a curious habit of watching the lips of those who speak to them, just as if they could understand the words that are spoken, and when they become quite familiar, are fond of sitting on their friend’s shoulder, and laying their tiny fingers on his lips. They seem to have an intuitive idea of the empire of language, and to. try, in their own little way, to discover its mysteries. A pleasant musky odour exhales from these animals. Their beautiful, furry tails have no prehensile power, but can be wrapped about any object, or even coiled round their own bodies in order to keep them warm. The strange looking animal which is represented i in the engraving on the opposite page, is no less remarkable in its character than in its looks. It is sav age in its temper, and liable to gusts of furious passion, during which it is apt to be a very unpleasant neighbour, for it has long sharp teeth, and ‘does not hesitate to se them. On examining this animal, the attention is at once drawn to the curious manner in which both extremities of the body are decorated. The beard is of a dull black colour, and is formed chiefly by hairs which start from the sides of the Jaw and chin, and project forward in the curious fashion which gives the animal so strange an expression. COLLARED TEE-TEE.—Callithria torquatus. Of this ornament the Cuxio is mightily careful, protecting its facial ornament with a veneration equal to that beard-worship for which the medieval Spanish noble was world-famous. It is even more fastidious in this respect than the Diana monkey, whose beard-protecting customs have been alluded to on page 50. The Diana will hold its CUXIO, OR BEARDED SAKI.—Brachyirus Sdtanas. beard aside when it drinks; but the more cautious Cuxio forbears to put its face near the water. Instead of drinking a deep draucht by suction, as is the custom with most monkeys, it scoops up the liquid in the palm of its hand, and so avoids the danger of wetting its beard. 96 ’ THE BLACK YARKE. This curious habit, however, is but rarely witnessed, as the animal dislkes to exhibit its fastidiousness before spectators, and only when it thinks itself unwatched will it use its natural goblet. When in the presence of witnesses it drinks as do other monkeys, wetting its beard y ithout compunetion. The general colour of this monkey is a erizzled brown, sometimes speckled with rust- collenie hairs, and the limbs, tail, and head are black. If, however. , the hair of the body be blown aside, a greyish hair takes the place of the dark brown ; for the hairs are much lighter towards their insertion, and in many cases are nearly white. The hair of the head is remarkable for the mode of its arrangement, which gives it an air as if it had been parted artificially. The long black hairs start from a line down the centre of the head, and fall over the temples so densely that they quite conceal the ears under their thick locks. The large quantity of hair that decorates the head and face increases the really great comparative size of the rounded head. The nostrils are rather large, and are separated from each other by a dividing cartilage which is larger than is usual even in the American monkeys. The teeth are so sharp and the jaws so strong, that Humboldt has seen the animal, when enraged, drive its weapons deeply into a thick plank. When it suffers from a fit of passion, it grinds these sharp teeth, leaps about in fury, and rubs the extremity of its long beard. Even when slightly irritated, it grins with savage rage, threatening the offender with menacing erimaces, and wrinkling the skin of its jaws and face. It is not known to live in companies, as is the wont of most American monkeys, but passes a comparatively solitary hfe, limiting its acquaintance to its partner and its family. The cry of this animal is rather powerful, and can be heard at a considerable distance. The colour of the female Cuxio is not so dark as that of her mate, being almost wholly of a rusty brown. It is chiefly nocturnal in its habits. BLACK YARKE.—Pithécia Leucocéphala, There are several monkeys known by the name of Sakis, among which are reckoned the Cuxio, which has just been described, and two other species, which are easily distinguished from each other by the colour of their heads. The first of these animals is the ~ BLACK YARKE, or WHITE-HEADED SAKI, and the other the CacaJAo, or BLACK-HEADED SAKI. The former of these Sakis is a rather elegant creature in form, and of colour more CACAJAO.—Pithecia Melanocephala. varied than those of the Cuxio. As will be seen from the accompanying engraving, the head is surrounded with a thick and closely-set fringe of white hair, which is rather short in the male, but long and drooping in the female. The top of the head is of a deep black, and the remainder of the body and tail is covered with very long and rather coarse hair of a blackish-brown. Under the chin and throat the hairs are almost entirely absent, and the skin is of an orange hue. Beside the difference of length in the facial hairs of the female Yarke, there are several distinctions between the sexes, which are so decided as to have caused many naturalists to consider the male and female to belong to different species. The hair of the female Yarke is decorated near the tip with several rings of a rusty brown colour, while the hair of the male is entirely devoid of these marks. The natural food of these animals is said to consist chiefly of wild bees and their honeycombs. Perhaps the long furry hair with which the Sakis are covered, may be useful for the purpose of defending them from the stings of the angry insects. On account of the full and bushy tail with which the members of this group are furnished, they are popularly classed together under the title of Fox-tailed Monkeys. The two animals which have just been noticed are marked by such decided peculiarities of form and colour that they can easily be distinguished from any other monkeys. The Cuxio is known by its black beard and parted hair, the Black Yarke by its dark body and white head-fringe, while the Cacasao is conspicuous by reason of its black head and short tail. When this animal was first discovered, it was thought that the tail had been docked either by some accident, or by the teeth of the monkey itself, as is the custom with so many of the long-tailed monkeys of the Old World. But the natives of the country where it lives assert that its brevity of tail is a distinctive character of the species. 1. H 98 THE DOUROUCOULL Indeed, among the many names which have been given to the Cacajao, one of them, “Mono Rabon,” or short-tailed Mono, refers to this peculiarity. On account of the very short tail, and the general aspect of the animal, the Cacajao is supposed by some naturalists to be the American representative of the Magot. The head of the creature is not only remarkable for its black hue, but for its shape, which instead of being rounded, as is the case with most monkeys, is slightly flattened at the temples. The general colour of the fur is a bright yellowish-brown, the only exceptions being the head and the fore-paws, which are black. The ears are devoid of hair, are very large in proportion to the size of the animal, and have something of the human character about them. The length of the head and body is said to reach nearly two feet in full-grown animals, and the tail is from three to five inches long, according to the size of the individual. Very little is known of the habits of the Cacajao in a wild state, but in captivity it bears the character of being a very inactive and very docile animal. Fruits seem to be its favourite diet, and when eating them it has a habit of bending over its food in a very peculiar attitude. It is not so adroit in handling objects as are the generality of monkeys, and seems to feel some difficulty in the management of its long and slender fingers, so that its manner of eating is rather awkward than otherwise. Among the names by which this monkey is known, we may mention, “Mono-feo,” or Hideous Monkey, Chucuto, Chucuzo, and Caruiri. The term “ Melanocephala” signifies Black-headed, while the word “ Leucocephala,”’ which is applied to the Yarke, signifies White-headed. It seems to be a timid, as well as a quiet animal, as a Cacajao which had been domesticated displayed some alarm at the sight of several small monkeys of its own country, and trembled violently when a lizard or a serpent was brought before its eyes. The localities where it is most generally found are the forests which border the Rio Negro and the Cassiquiare, but it does not seem to be very plentiful even in its own land. : The term “ Nyctipithecus,” or Night-monkey, which is used as the generic title of the Dovrovucoutl, refers to its habits, which are more strictly nocturnal than those of the animals heretofore mentioned, The eyes of this little creature are so sensitive to light, that it cannot endure the glare of day, and only awakes to activity and energy when the shades of night throw their welcome veil over the face of nature. In its wild state, it seeks the shelter of some hollow tree or other darkened place of refuge, and there abides during the hours of daylight, buried in a slumber so deep, that it can with difficulty be aroused, even though the rough hand of its captor drag it from its concealment. During sleep, it gathers all its four feet closely DOUROUCOULL—Nyetipithécus Trivergitus. together, and drops its head between its fore-paws. It seems to be one of the owls of the monkey race. The food of this Douroucouli is mostly of an animal nature; and consists chiefly of insects and small birds, which it hunts and captures in the night season. After dark, the Douroucouli awakes from the torpid lethargy in which it has spent the day, and shaking off its drowsiness, becomes filled with life and spirit. The large dull eyes, that shrank from the dazzling rays of the sun, light wp with eager animation at eventide ; the listless MARMOSET.—VJacchus Vulgaris. limbs are instinct with fiery activity, every sense is aroused to keen perception, and the creature sets off on its nightly quest. Such is then its agile address, that it can capture even the quick-sighted and ready-w inged flies as they flit by, striking rapid blows at them with its little paws. The general colour of the Douroucouli is a greyish-white, over which a silvery lustre plays in “certain lights. The spine is marked with a brown line, and the breast, abdomen, and inside of the limbs, are marked with a very light chestnut, almost amounting to orange. The face is remarkable for three very distinct. black lines, which radiate from each other, and which have earned for the animal the title of « Trivergatus,” or “ Three- striped.” There are but very slight external indications of ears, and in order to expose the organs of hearing, it is necessary to draw aside the fur of the head. On account of this peculiarity, Humboldt separated the Douroucouli from its neighbours, and formed it into a distinct family, which he named “ Adtes,” or “ Earless.” Guiana and Brazil are the countries where this curious little animal is found. Although by no means an uncommon species, it is not taken very plentifully, on account of its monogamous habits. The male and his mate may often be discovered sleeping snugly together in one bed, but never in greater numbers, unless there may be a little family at the time. Its ery is singularly loud, considering the small size of the animal which utters it, and bears some resemblance to the roar of the jaguar. Besides this deep-toned voice, it can hiss or spit like an anery cat, mew with something of a cat-lke intonation, and utter a guttural, short, and rapidly repeated bark. The fur is used for the purpose of covering pouches and similar articles. The beautifti little creature which is so well known by the name of the MARMOSET, or OUISTITI, is a native of the same country as the Douroucouli, and is even more attrac- tive in its manners and appearance. The fur is long and exquisitely soft, diversified with bold stripes of black upon a ground of white and reddish-yellow. The tail is long and full; its colour is white, encircled with numerous rings of a hue so deep that it may almost be called black. A radiating tuft of white hairs springs from each side of the face, and contrasts well with the jetty hue of the head. On account of the beauty of its fur, and the gentleness of its demeanour when rightly treated, it is frequently brought from its native land, and forced to lead a life of compelled civilization in foreign climes. It is peculiarly sensitive to cold, and always likes to have H 2 100 THE PINCHE. its house well furnished with soft and warm bedding, which it piles up in a corner, and under which it delights to hide itself. The Marmosets do not seem to be possessed of a very large share of intelligence, but yet are engaging little creatures if kindly treated. They are very fond of flies and other insects, and will often take a fly from the hand of the visitor. One of these animals with whom I struck up an acquaintance, took great pleasure in making me catch flies for its use, and taking them daintily out of my hand. When it saw my hand sweep over a doomed fly, the bright eyes sparkled with eager anticipation ; and when I approached the cage, the little creature thrust its paw through the bars as far as the wires would permit, and opened and closed the tiny fingers with restless impatience. It then insinuated its hand among my closed fingers, and never failed to find and to capture the imprisoned fly. When properly tamed, the Marmoset will come and sit on its owner's hand, its little paws clinging tightly to his fingers, and its tail coiled over his hand or wrist. Or it will clamber up his arm and sit on his shoulders, or if chilly, hide itself beneath his coat, or even creep into a convenient pocket. The Marmoset has a strange liking for hair, and is fond of playing with the locks of its owner, One of these little creatures, which was the property of a gentleman adorned with a large bushy beard, was wont to creep to its master’s face, and to nestle among the thick masses of beard which decorated his chin. Another Marmoset, which belonged to a lady, and which was liable to the little petulances of its race, used to vent its anger by nibbling the end of her ringlets. If the hair were bound round her head, the curious little animal would draw a tress down, and bite its extremity, as if it were trying to eat the hair by degrees. The same individual was possessed of an accomplishment which is almost unknown among these little monkeys, namely, standing on its head. Generally, the Marmoset preserves silence ; but if alarmed or irritated, it gives vent to a little sharp whistle, from which it has gained its name of Ouistiti. It is sufficiently active when in the enjoyment of good health, climbing and leaping about from bar to bar with an agile quickness that reminds the observer of a squirrel. Its food is both animal and vegetable in character ; the animal portion being chiefly composed of various insects, eggs, and it may be, an occasional young bird, and the vege- table diet ranging through most of the edible fruits. A tame Marmoset has been known to pounce upon a living gold fish, and to eat it. In consequence of this achievement, some young eels were given to the animal, and at first terrified it by their strange writhings, but in a short time they were mastered, and eaten. Cockroaches are a favourite article of food with the Marmoset, who might be put to good service in many a house. In eating these troublesome insects, the Marmoset nips off the head, wings, and bristly legs, eviscerates the abdomen, and so prepares the insect before it is finally eaten. These precautions, however, are only taken when the cockroach is one of the larger specimens, the smaller insects being eaten up at once, without any preparation whatever. Several instances of the birth of young Marmosets have taken place in Europe, but the young do not seem to thrive well in these climates. The colour of the young animal is a dusky grey, without the beautiful markings which distinguish them when adult, and the tail is destitute of hair. The length of the full-grown Marmoset is from seven to eight inches, exclusive of the tail, which measures about a foot. The two elegant little animals which are represented in the preceding page are members of the same genus as the Marmoset, inhabitants of nearly the same localities, and possessed of many similar qualities. The Pincus is remarkable for the tuft of white and long hair which it bears on its head, and which is so distinctly marked, that the little creature almost seems to be wear- ing an artificial head of hair. The throat, chest, abdomen, and arms, are also white, and the edges of the thighs are touched with the same tint. On each shoulder there is a patch of reddish-chestnut, fading imperceptibly into the white fur of the chest, and the greyish- brown hair that covers the remainder of the body. Its eyes are quite black. The tail of the animal is long and moderately full; its colour slightly changes from PINCHE.—Jacchus Gdipus. MARIKINA.—Jacchus Rosalia. the russet-brown tint with which it commences, to a deeper shade of brownish-black. Its voice is soft and gentle, and has often been compared to the twittering of a bird. The Pinche is quite as delicate in point of health as its slight form seems to indicate, and can with difficulty endure the privations of a voyage. When the animal is full- grown, the length of its head and body is about eight inches, and that of its tail rather exceeding a foot. Among the various members of the monkey tribe, there is hardly any species that can compare with the exquisite little MARIKINA, either for grace of form, or soft beauty of colour. The hair with which this creature is covered is of a bright and lustrous chestnut, with a golden sheen playing over its long glossy locks. To the touch, the fur of the Marikina is peculiarly smooth and silken ; and from this circumstance it is sometimes called the Silky Monkey. » Both for the texture and colour of the hair, the name is happily chosen, for the tint of the Marikina’s fur is just that of the orange-coloured silk as it is wound from the cocoon, while in texture it almost vies with the fine fibres of the unwoven silk itself. Another name for the same animal is the Lion Monkey, because its little face looks out of the mass of hair like a lion from out of his mane. The colour of the hair is nearly uniform, but not quite so. On the paws it darkens considerably, and it is of a deeper tint on the forehead and the upper surface of the limbs than on the remainder of the body. Some specimens are wholly of a darker hue. In no place is the fur very short; but on the head, and about the shoulders, it is of very great length in proportion to the size of the animal. The Marikina is rightly careful of its beautiful clothing, and is fastidious to a degree about preserving its glossy brightness free from stain. Whether when wild, it keeps its own house clean, or whether it has no house at all, is not as yet accurately ascertained; but in captivity, it requires that all cleansing shall be performed by other hands. This 102 THE LEMURS. slothfulness is the more peculiar, because the creature is so sensitive on the subject, that if it be in the least neglected, it loses its pretty gaiety, pines away, and dies. It is fond of company, and can seldom be kept alone for any length of time. The food of the Marikina is chiefly composed of fruits and insects; but in captivity, it will eat biscuit and drink milk. It is a very timid animal, unable to fight a foe, but quick in escape, and adroit in concealment. Its voice is soft and gentle when the animal is pleased, but when it is excited by anger or fear, it utters a rather sharp hiss. The dimensions of the Marikina are much the same as those of the Pinche. RUFFED LEMUR.—Lemur Macdco. LEMURS. THE form of the monkeys which are known by the name of Lemurs, is of itself suffi- cient to show that we are rapidly approaching the more quadrupedal mammalia, the which, however, we shall only reach through the wing-handed animals, or bats, and the strangely formed flying-monkey, which seems to span the gulf between the monkeys and bats. The head of all the Lemurs is entirely unlike the usual monkey head, and even in the skull the distinction is as clearly marked as in the living being. Sharp, long, and pointed, the muzzle and jaws are singularly fox-like, while the general form of these animals, and the mode in which they walk, would lead a hasty observer to place them among the true quadrupeds. Yet, on a closer examination, the quadrumanous charac- teristics are seen so plainly, that the Lemurs can but be referred to their proper position among, or rather at the end of, the monkey tribe. The word Lemur signifies a night-wandering ghost, and has been applied to this group of animals on account of their nocturnal habits, and their stealthy, noiseless step, which renders their progress almost as inaudible as that of the unearthly beings from whom they derive their name. THE LEMURS. 103 The RurreD Lemur is one of the handsomest of this family, challenging a rivalship even with the Ring-tailed Lemur in point of appearance. The texture of the fur is extremely fine, and its colour presents bold contrasts between pure white and a jetty blackness, the line of demarcation being strongly defined. The face of the Ruffed Lemur is black, and a fringe of long white hairs stands out like a ruff round the face, giving to the creature its very appropriate title. As is the case with all the Lemurs, it is a native of Madagascar and of the adjacent islands, and seems to take the place of the ordinary monkeys. Of all the Lemurs this species is the largest, its size equalling that of a moderately grown cat. Its voice is a sepulchral, deep roar, peculiarly loud, considering the size of the animal, and can be heard at a great distance in the stilly night. As the Lemurs delight in gathering together in large companies, the effect of their united voices is most deafening. The eyes are furnished with a transverse pupil, which dilates as darkness draws on, enabling the creature to see even in a dark night, and to make search after their daily, or rather their nightly food. This species is timid at the presence of man, and hides itself at the sound of his foot- steps. But if pursued and attacked, it takes instant courage from despair, and flinging itself boldly on its antagonist, wages fierce battle. In the conflict, its sharp teeth stand it in good stead, and inflict wounds of no trifling severity. It is easily tamed, and although it is not a very intellectual animal, it displays much gentle affection, readily recognising its friends, and offering itself for their caresses, but avoiding the touch of those with whom it is not acquainted, or to whom it takes a dislike. It is very impatient of cold, and likes to sit before a fire, where it will perch itself for an hour at a time without moving, its attention solely taken up by the grateful warmth. It is an active creature, being able to leap to some distance, and always attaining its mark with unfailing accuracy. While leaping or running rapidly, the tail is held in a peculiar and graceful attitude, following, indeed, Hogarth’s line of beauty. RING-TAILED LEMUR.—Lemwur Catta. WHITE-FRONTED LEMUR.—Lemur dlbifrons. RED LEMUR. —Lemur Ruber The Rinc-TaILeD Lemur, or MACACco, is at once recognisable by the peculiarity from which it derives its popular name. It is not quite so large as the Ruffed Lemur, as it only measures a foot from nose to tail, the tail itself being some seven or eight inches in length. In captivity it soon becomes familiar, and when it chooses to exhibit its powers, is very amusing with its merry pranks. If several individuals are confined in the same cage, they are fond of huddling together, and involving themselves in such a strange entanglement of tails, limbs, and heads, that until they separate, it is almost impossible to decide upon the number of the animals that form the variegated mass. 104 THE LEMURS. It sometimes breeds in confinement, and then affords an interesting sight. The young Lemur is not so thickly clothed as its mother, but makes up deficiencies in its own covering by burying itself in the soft fur of its parent. Many a time have I seen the little creature sunk deeply in the soft fur of its mother’s back, and so harmonizing with her, that the child could hardly be distinguished from the parent. Sometimes it would creep under the mother, and cling with arms and legs so firmly, that although she might move about her cage, the little one was not shaken off, but held as firmly as Ulysses to the Syclops’ ram. There is a curious structure in the hand and arm of this Lemur, bearing consider- able analogy to the formation of the spider monkey’s tail, which is mentioned on p. 84. By means of this construction of the limb, the fingers of the hand are closed when the arm is stretched out, so that the animal can suspend itself from a tree-branch, without incurring fatigue. It sometimes utters a sound which resembles the purring of a cat, and from that habit is derived the name of Cattus. The manner in which the dark spots and rings are distributed over the body and tail is well shown in the engraving, and need not be described. The WHITE-FRONTED LEMUR derives its name from the patch of white hairs which appears on its forehead. Some naturalists suppose it to be the female of a similar animal on whose forehead a sable patch is substituted for the white, and is therefore called the Black-fronted Lemur. At present, however, the Black-fronted animal is considered to be a distinct species ; and the only difference between the sexes of the White-fronted Lemur seems to be, that in the male animal the forehead and some other portions of the fur are white, while in the female they are of a light grey. The general colour of the animal is a brownish chestnut, but in some examples a grey tint takes the place of the darker colow. It is a gentle and engaging creature, and not at all shy, even to strangers, unless they alarm it by loud voices or hasty gestures. It is possessed of great agility, climbing trees, and running among the branches with perfect ease, and capable of springing through a space of several yards. So gently does it alight on the ground after it leaps, that the sound of its feet can hardly be heard as they touch the ground. As will be seen from the figure on p. 103, the RED Lemur possesses a fur which has somewhat of a woolly aspect, the hair separating into tufts, each of which is slightly curled It is a beautifully decorated animal, displaying considerable contrast of colour- ing. The body, head, and the greater portion of the limbs, are of a fine chestnut, with the exception of a large white patch covering the back of the head and nape of the neck, and a smaller one in the midst of each foot. The face, the tail, and paws, are black, as is all the under side of the body. This latter circumstance is most remarkable, as it is almost a general rule that the under parts of animals are lighter in tint than the upper. Around the sides of the face, the hair is of a paler chestnut than that which covers the body. In habits it is similar to the Lemurs which have already been described. Being naturally a nocturnal animal, it passes the day in a drowsy somnolence, its head pushed between its legs, and the long, bushy tail wrapped round its body, as if to exclude the light and retain the heat. Should it be accustomed to be fed during the daytime, it shakes off its slumber for the purpose of satisfying the calls of hunger ; but even though urged by so strong an inducement, it awakes with lingering reluctance, and sinks to sleep again as soon as the demands of its appetite are satisfied. Its entire length is nearly three feet, of which the tail occupies about twenty inches. Its height is about a foot. The curious animal which is known by the name of the DIApbEM LEMUR, is generally thought to belong quite as much, if not more, to the Indris than to the Lemurs, and has, therefore, been placed by Mr. Bennett in a separate genus, which he names Propithecus. 4 The name of Diadem Lemur is given to this creature on account of the white semi- lunar stripe which runs across the forehead; the curve being just the opposite to the crescent on the head of the Diana monkey, and therefore assuming the shape of a diadem. This white stripe is very conspicuous, and serves by its bold contrast with the black head THE LEMURS. 105 and face, to distinguish the animal from any of its relatives. The shoulders and upper part of the back are of a sooty tint, not so black as the head, and fading almost imper- ceptibly into palest brown on the hinder quarters and the limbs. The under parts of the body are very light grey, nearly white. The paws are nearly black. The tail is tawny at its commencement, but gradually changes its colour by the admixture of lighter hairs, until at its tip it is nearly white, although with a slight golden tinge. The hair of the tail is not so long as that of the body, which is long and rather silky in texture, with the exception of the fur about the lower end of the spine, which has a slight woolliness to the touch. As may be seen from the engraving, the thumbs of the PROPITHECE, OR DIADEM LEMUR.—Propithécus Diadéma. hinder paws are large in proportion, and suited for taking a firm grasp of any object to which the animal may cling; while the corresponding members of the fore-paws are not so largely developed, but yet can be used with some freedom. The face of the Propithece is not so long as that of the true Lemurs, and the round tipped ears are hidden in the bushy hair which surrounds the head. The length of the animal, exclusively of the tail, is about twenty-one inches, and the length of the tail is about four inches less. Resembling the Lemurs in many respects, and given to similar customs, the animals which are known by the name of Loris are distinguished from the Lemurs by several peculiarities of structure. f \ CITE PE 5 Soe SLENDER LORIS.—Loris Gracilis. The first point which strikes the eye of the observer, is the want of that long and bushy tail which is possessed by the Lemurs, and which is only rudimentary in the “Loris. The muzzle too, although sharp and pointed, is abruptly so, whereas that of the Lemur tapers gradually from the ears to the nose. The country which they inhabit is not the same as that which nurtures the Lemurs, for whereas the latter animals are found exclusively in Madagascar, the Loris is found in Ceylon, Java, Sumatra, and other neighbouring parts. The SLENDER Loris is a small animal, measuring only nine inches in length, and possessed of limbs so delicately slender, as to have earned for it the popular name by which it is distinguished from the Slow-paced Loris. Its colour is grey, with a slight rusty tinge, the under portions of the body fading into white. Round the eyes, the fur takes a darker hue, which is well contrasted by a white streak running along the nose. Small though it be, and apparently without the power to harm, it is a terrible enemy to the birds and insects on which it feeds, and which it captures, “like Fabius, by delay.” Night, when the birds are resting with their heads snugly sheltered by their soft feathers, is the time when the Loris awakes from its daily slumbers, and stealthily sets forth on its search. Its large round eyes blaze in the dusky gloom like two balls of phosphorescent fire, and by the eyes alone can its presence be known. For the colour of its fur is such that the dark back is invisible in the obscurity, and the white breast and abdomen simulate the falling of a broken moonbeam on the bark of a branch. Its” movements are so slow and silent, that not a sound falls on the ear to indicate the presence of a living animal. Alas for the doomed bird that has attracted the fiery eyes of the Loris! No Indian on his war-path moves with stealthier step or more deadly purpose than the Loris on its progress towards its sleeping prey. With movements as imperceptible and as silent as the shadow on the dial, paw after paw is lifted from its hold, advanced a step and placed again on the bough, until the destroyer stands by the side of the unconscious victim. Then, the hand is raised with equal silence, until the fingers overhang the bird and nearly touch it. Suddenly, the slow caution is exchanged for lightning speed, and with a move- ment so rapid that the eye can hardly follow it, the bird is torn from its perch, and almost before its eyes are opened from slumber, they are closed for ever in death. THE SLOW-PACED LORIS. 107 The Stow-PacEeD Loris, or KuUKANG, is very similar in its habits to the animal just mentioned, but differs from it in size, colour, and several parts of its form. The fur is of a texture rather more woolly than that of the Slender Loris, and its colour has something of a chestnut tinge running through it, although some specimens are nearly as grey as the Slender Loris. As may be seen from the engraving, a dark stripe surrounds the eyes, ears, and back of the head, reaching to the corners of the mouth. From thence it runs along the entire length of the spine. The colour of this dark band is a deep chestnut. It is rather larger than the preceding animal, being a little more than a foot in length. In the formation of these creatures some very curious structures are found, among which is the singular grouping of arteries and veins in the limbs. Instead of the usual tree-like mode in which the limbs of most animals are supplied with blood,—one large trunk-vessel entering the limb, and then branching off into nume- rous subdivisions,—the limbs of the Loris are furnished with blood upon a strangely modified system. The arteries and veins as they enter and leave the limb, are suddenly divided KUKANG, OR SLOW-PACED LORIS.—Nycticébus Javanicus. into a great number of cylindrical vessels, lying close to each other for some distance, and giving off their tubes to the different parts of the limb. It is possible that to this formation may be owing the power of silent movement and slow patience which has been mentioned as the property of these monkeys, for a very similar structure is found to exist in the sloth. The tongue of the Loris is aided in its task by a plate of cartilage, by which it is sup- ported, and which is, indeed, an enlargement of the tendinous band that is found under the root of the tongue. It is much thicker at its base than at the extremity, which is so deeply notched that it seems to have been slit with a knife. It is so conspicuous an organ, that it has been often described as a second tongue. The throat and vocal organs seem to be but little developed, as is consistent with the habits of an animal whose very subsistence depends upon its silence. Excepting when irritated, it seldom or never utters a sound; and even then, its vocal powers seem to be linited to a little monotonous plaintive cry. In captivity, this Loris appears to be tolerably omnivorous, eating both animal and 108 VERE, SAWIAUEIE OR UNIO Role vegetable food, preferring, however, the former. Living animals best please its taste, and the greatest dainty that can be offered to the creature is a small bird, which it instantly kills, plucks, and eats Cova the bones included. Eggs are a favourite food with it, as are insects. It will take butcher's meat, if raw, but will not touch it if cooked in any way. Of vegetable substances, sugar appears to take its fancy the most, but it will eat fruits of various kinds, such as oranges and plantains, and has been known to suck gum arabic. Another curious inhabitant of Madagascar is the INDRI, or AVAHI, a creature that has sometimes been considered as one of the lemurs, and placed among them by systematic naturalists. From the curled and woolly hair with which the body is covered it derives its name of “ Laniger,” or Woolbearer. Just over the loins, and partly down the flanks, the soft wool-like hair takes a firmer curl than is found to be the case in any other part of the body or limbs. It is but a small animal, the length of its head and body being only a foot, and its tail nine inches. The general colour “of the fur is a lightish brown, with a white stripe on the back of the thigh, and a tinge of chestnut in the tail. In some individuals a rusty red, mingled with a yellow hue, takes the place of the brown ; and in all the under parts are lighter than the upper. Its face is black, and the eyes are grey, with a greenish light playing through their large orbs. The name Indri is a native word, signi- fying, it is said, “man of the woods.” Its voice is not very powerful, but can be heard at some distance. It is of a melancholy, wailing character, and has been likened to the cry of a child. The LitTLe GALAGO, which 1s represented in the lower figure of the accompanying engraving, is sometimes called by the name of the Madagascar Rat, on account of its rat-like form, and the colour of the fur. It is about the size of a small rat, and, as may be seen by a reference to the engraving, might easily be mistaken for one of those animals by a non-zoologist. The tint of its fur is a very light mouse-colour. The ears of the Galago are large, and, ANSE OS: UNDUE SUATAES HAIR during the life of the animal, are nearly transparent. The eyes are very large, and of that peculiar lustre which is always seen in the nocturnal animals. It is a native of Madagascar. The Mowout GALAGO is a larger animal than the preceding, being nearly sixteen inches in length, inclusive of the tail. Its colour is grey, with irregular markings of a deeper hue. The under parts of the body are nearly white, and the limbs are slightly tinged with a golden lustre. The tail is not very bushy, excepting at the extremity, and its colour is a chestnut brown. The texture of the fur is very soft, and there is a shght woolliness in its setting. Nocturnal in habits, it sleeps during the day, with its large ears folded over the head in such a manner as to give it the aspect of an earless animal. More active than the loris, the Moholi does not secure its prey by stealing on it with slow and silent movements, but leaps upon the flying insects on which it loves to feed, and seizes them in its slender paws. Besides insects, various fruits form part of the Moholi’s food, more especially such as are of a pulpy nature, and it is said that the Moholi eats that vegetable exudation which is known by the name of Gum-Senegal. Its diurnal repose is taken in the curious nest which it builds in the forked branches of trees, using grass, leaves, and LITTLE GALAGO.—Galago Minor. MOHOLI.—Gélago Moholi. other soft substances for the purpose. In this lofty cradle the young are nurtured until they are of an age to provide for themselves. The face is full of expression, in which it is aided by the large and prominent ears ; and the creature is said to contract its countenance into strange grimaces, after the fashion of the ordinary monkeys. Like the monkeys, too, it can leap for some little distance, and springs from one branch to another, or from tree to tree with agility and precision. The Moholi Galago is an inhabitant of Southern Africa, having been found by Dr. Smith hopping about the branches of the trees that bordered the Limpopo river, in twenty-five degrees of south latitude. At first sight, there is some external re- semblance between the Galago and the little animal which is figured in the accompanying engraving. The ears, however, are not so large as those of the Galago, and the tail is less thickly covered with fur, being almost devoid of hair, except at its extremity, where it forms a small tuft. On reference to the figure, it will be seen that the hands are of extraordinary length, in proportion to the size of the creature. This peculiarity is caused by a considerable elongation of the bones composing the “Tarsus,” or back of the hands and feet, and has earned for the animal the title of Tarster. This peculiarity is more strongly developed in the hinder than in the fore-paws. The colour of the Tarsier is a greyish- brown, with slight olive tint washed over the body. A stripe of deeper colour sur- rounds the back of the head, and the face and forehead are of a warmer brown than TARSIER.—Tarsius Spectrum. the body and limbs. It is a native of Borneo, Celebes, the Philippine Islands, and Banca. From the latter locality it is sometimes called the Banca Tarsier. Another of the titles by which it is known, is the Podji. 110 THE AYE-AYE. It is a tree-inhabiting animal, and skips among the branches with little quick leaps that have been likened to the hoppings of a frog. In order to give the little creature a firmer hold of the boughs about which it is constantly leaping, the palms of the hands are furnished with several cushions. The back of the hands are covered with soft downy fur, resembling the hair with which the tail is furnished. Excepting on the hands and tail, the fur is very thick and of a woolly character, but at the root of the tail, and at the wrists and ankles, it suddenly changes to the short downy covering. 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 Van der Hoeven, considering it to form a link between the monkeys and the rodent animals. As will be seen by a reference to the figure, in its head and general shape it resembles the Galagos, but in the number and arrangement of its teeth it approaches the rodent type. There are no canine teeth, and the incisors are arranged in a manner similar to those of the rodents, the chief difference being, that instead of the chisel-hke edge which distinguishes the incisor teeth of the gnawing animals, those of the Aye-aye are sharply pointed. These curious teeth are extremely powerful, and are very deeply set in the jaw- bones, their sockets extending nearly the entire depth of the bone. The colour of the animal is a rusty brown on the upper portions of the body, the under parts, as well as the cheeks and throat, being of a light grey. The paws are nearly black. The fur of the body is thickly set, and is remarkable for an inner coating of downy hair of a golden tint, which sometimes shows itself through the outer coating. On the tail the hair’ is darker than on the body, greater in length, and in texture - much coarser. The tail seems to be always trailed at ler igth, and never to be set up over the body, like the well-known tail of the squirrel, The ears are large, and nearly destitute of hai. 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, ike Amine in the “Arabian Nights,” using, however, its slender fingers in lieu of the celebrated bodkin with which she made her mock meal. But in its wild state it is said to search the trees for insects as well as fruits, and to drag their larvee from their concealment by means of its delicate fingers. Buds and various fruits are also said to be eaten by this animal— possibly the buds may contain a hidden grub, and the entire flower be eaten for the sake of the living creature which it contains, as is the case with many a bud that is plucked by small birds in this country. It is a nocturnal animal like the Galagos and Lemurs, and seeks its prey by night only, spending the day in sleep, curled up in the dark hollow of a tree, or in some similar spot, where it can retire from view and from light. As is shown by the scientific name of the Aye-aye, it is a native of Madagascar, and even in that island is extremely scarce, appearing to be lmited to the western portions of the country, and to escape even the quick eyes of the natives. Sonnerat, the naturalist, was the first to discover it, and when he showed his prize to the natives, they exhibited ereat astonishment at the sight of an unknown animal, and the exclamations of surprise are said to have given the name of Aye-aye to the creature. The name “ Cheiromys,” signifies “ Handed Mouse,” and is given to the animal because it bears some resemblance to a large mouse or rat which is furnished with hand-like paws instead of feet. With the exception of the Aye-aye, all the Quadrumanous animals bear their mammee upon the breast, and clasp their young to their bosoms with their arms. But in the Aye-aye, the milk-giving organs are placed on the lower portion of the abdomen, and thus a great distinction is at once made between this creature and the true quadrumana, Indeed, there are so many points of discrepancy in this strange being, that it is quite impossible to make it agree with the systematic laws which have hitherto been laid down, and naturalists place it in one order or another, according to the stress which they lay on different points of its organization. The eyes are of a brownish-yellow. colour, and very sensitive to light, as may be AYE-AYE.—Cheiromys Madagascariensis. expected in a creature so entirely nocturnal in its habits. The movements of the Aye-aye are slow and deliberate, though not so sluggish as those of the Loris. It is not a very small animal, measuring almost a yard in total length, of which the tail occupies one moiety. On a review of this and the Lemurine monkeys, it can hardly fail to strike the observer that there must be something very strange in the climate or position of Madagascar—perhaps in both—that forbids the usual quadrumanous forms, and produces in their stead the Lemurs, the Indris, and the Aye-aye. So very little is known of this important island, that it may be the home of hitherto unknown forms of animal life, which, when brought under the observation of competent naturalists, would fill up sundry blanks that exist in the present list of known animals, and afford, in their own persons, the clue to many interesting subjects which are now buried in mystery. The strange animal which is known by the name of the Firyrnc Lemur, or CoLuco, presents a singular resemblance to the large bat which is popularly called the Flying Fox, and evidently affords an intermediate link of transition between the four-handed and the wing-handed mammals. By means of the largely-developed membrane which connects the limbs with each other, and the hinder limbs with the tail, the Colugo is enabled to leap through very great distances, and to pass from one bough to another with ease, although they may be situated so far apart that no power of leaping could achieve the feat. This membrane is a prolongation of the natural skin, and is covered with hair on the upper side as thickly as airy part of the body, but beneath it is almost naked. When the creature desires to make one of its long sweeping leaps, it spreads its limbs as widely as possible, and thus converts itself into a kind of living kite, as is shown in the fioure. By thus presenting a large surface to the air, it can be supported in its passage between the branches, and is said to be able to vary its course shghtly by the movement of its arms. When the animal is walking or climbing about among the branches, the wide membrane is folded so closely to the body, that it might escape the observation of an COLUGO.—Galeopithécus volans. inexperienced eye. The membrane is not used in the manner of wings, but is merely employed as a sustaining power in the progress through the air. It is evident, therefore, that at every leap, the spot at which it aims must be lower than that from which it starts, so that it is forced, after some few aerial voyages, to run up the trees and attain a higher station. It is said that the Colugo will thus pass over nearly a hundred yards. Among other bat-like habits, the Colugo is accustomed to suspend itself by its hinder paws from the branch of a tree, and in this pendant attitude it sleeps. Its slumbers are mostly diurnal, for the Colugo is a night-loving animal, and is seldom seen in motion until the shades of evening draw on. But on the approach of night, the Colngo awakes from its drowsiness, and unhooking its claws from the branch on which it has hung suspended during the hours of daylight, sets off on its travels in search of food. The diet of this animal is said to consist of mixed animal and vegetable substances, the former being eggs, insects, and small birds, while the latter is composed of various soft fruits. Its paws are equally adapted for grasping the boughs of the trees among which it passes its existence, and for seizing the prey on which it lives. The thumbs are not capable of opposition to the fingers, and therefore cannot be used as are the thumbs of the human hand. It will be remembered that, in the Aye-aye, the structure of the mamme is very different from that of the true monkeys ; and in the Colugo, the same organs are marked by a singular peculiarity of form and number. Instead of the usual supply of two mamme on the breast, the Colugo is furnished with four of those organs. The female Colugo is motherly in her habits, and carries her young family with her until they have attained a moderate size. THE COLUGO. 113 Tt is found in many of the islands that belong to the Indian Archipelago, and is tolerably common. As far as is known, there are several species of Galeopithecus ; three, according to some naturalists, and four according to others. The colour of the fur is very uncertain, even in the same species, some specimens being of a light brown, others of a grey tint, more or less deep; while many individuals have their fur diversified with irregular marblings or stripes, or spots of different shades and tints. The teeth of the Galeopithecus are very curious in their shape, and present as great a contrast to the usual quadrumanous tooth as the entire form does to that of the true monkeys. The upper incisor teeth are separated from each other by a rather wide empty space, the lower incisors have their crowns deeply cut, as if they were being manufactured into combs, bearing, indeed, a very close resemblance to the rudely-manufactured wooden combs made by the inhabitants of the South Sea Islands. None of the fingers of this animal are furnished with the broad flat nail which is found in the real monkeys, but each finger is armed with a sharp claw, decidedly hooked, and retractile. The thumbs are not opposable to the fingers. The hinder limbs are slightly larger than the arms. The Colugo is by no means a small animal, as, when it is full grown, it equals a large cat in size. The natives of the countries where this animal is found are in the habit of using it as an article of food. Strangers, however, find its flesh very unpleasant, on account of a strong odour with which it is pervaded. As in this work it has been my endeavour to render the study of Animal Life as entertaining as possible, I have carefully avoided the use of scientific terms, which might give an air of pedantry to its pages, and deter the reader from venturing upon a subject so repellent. A greater stress has, therefore, been laid upon the disposition and habits of the various animals than on their purely physical form, and the descriptions have been rather of species than of genera. But if any reader should desire to learn the leading characteristics by which the genera are separated from each other and placed in their respective positions, he is referred to a “Compendium of Generic Distinctions,” which will be found at the end of Vol. L, and by means of which, the reader will be enabled to assign almost any animal to its proper genus. CHEIROPTERA ; OR, WING-HANDED ANIMALS. From the earliest times in which the science of zoology attracted the attention of observant men, the discovery of a true systematic arrangement has been one of the great objects of those who studied animal life, and the forms in which it is outwardly manifested. In the writings of these pioneers of zoological science, from Aristotle, its father, even to the latest authors on this subject, we find that many animals, whether in groups or in single species, have long bafiled investigation. Among the more conspicuous of these enigmé itical beings are the strange and weird-like animals which are popularly known by the terse title of Bats, and, scientifically, by the more recondite name of Cheiroptera, a term derived trom two Greek words signifying, the former, a hand, and the latter, a wing. On a retrospect of the theories which have been broached on the subject of the Bats, we find that the singular diversity of opinion is quite on a par with the peculiar form of the animal which excited them. Some authors place the Bats among the birds, because they are able to fly through the air, while others assign them a position among the quadrupeds, because they can walk on the earth. Some, again, who admitted the mammelian nature of the creatures, scattered them at intervals “through the scale of animated beings, heedless of any distinction excepting the single characteristic on which they took their stand, and by which they judged every animal. These are but a few of the diverse opinions which ran riot among the naturalists of the former times, among which the most ingeniously quaint, is that which places the bat and the ostrich in the : same order, because the Bat can fly, and the ostrich cannot. By degrees the true mammalian character of the Bats became more clearly understood, and they were removed from the birds to take their rank among the higher forms. Even then, however, they were placed at the very end of the mammals, being considered as a connecting link which prevented a too abrupt change from the hairy to the feathered beings ; and it was left to the more recent investigators to discover, by careful anatomical research, the real position of the Bat tribe. ; In general form the Bats are clearly separated from any other group of animals, and by most evident modifications of structure, can be recognised by the most cursory glance. The first peculiarity in the Bat form which strikes the eye, is the wide and delicate membrane which stretches round the body, and which is used in the place of the wings with which birds are furnished. This membrane, thin and semi-transparent as it is, is double in structure, being a prolongation of the skin of the flanks and other portions of the animal, and, therefore, having its upper and under surface, in the same manner as the body of the creature itself. The two surfaces are so clearly marked, that with ordinary care, they can be separated from each other. Along the sides, this double membrane is rather stronger and thicker, but, as it extends from the body, it assumes greater tenuity, until at the margin it is so exquisitely thin, that the tiny blood-corpuscules, which roll along the minute vessels that supply the wing with nourishment, can be seen clearly through its integument, by the help of a good microscope. In order to support this beautiful membrane, to extend it to its requisite width, and to strike the air with it for the purposes of flight, the bones of the fore-part of the body, and especially those of the arms and hands, undergo a singular modification. As will be seen on reference to the accompanying engraving, which represents the skeleton of the Vampire, and which has been originally taken by the photographic THE VAMPIRE BAT. 115 process, the bones which thus constitute the arm and hand are marvellously elongated, becoming longer the farther they recede from the body. The two bones of the fore-arm are extreme ‘ly long, and the bone which is scientifically known by the name of the “ulna,” is extremely small, and in many species almost wholly wanting. The reason for this arrangeme nt is, that the great object of these two bones is, by the mode in which they are jointed to each other, to permit the arm to rotate with that movement which is easily shown by the simple process of turning the hand with its palm upwards. This latitude of motion would not only be useless to the Bats, but absolutely injurious, as the wing-membranes would not be able to beat the air with the steady strokes which are needful for maintaining flight. Therefore the arm is rendered incapable of rotation. Passing onwards from the arms to the hands, the finger-hones are strangely dispropor- tioned to the remainder of the body, the middle finger being considerably longer than the head and body together. The thumb is ve ry much short ter en any of the fingers, and furnished with a sharp and curved claw. By means of this claw, the Bat is enabled to proceed along a level surface, and to attach itself to any object that may be convenient. In some of the Bats the thumb is much longer than that which is here figured. The bones of the breast and the neighbouring parts are also formed in a peculiar manner, being intended to support the broad surface of the wing-membrane, and to enable SKELETON OF VAMPIRE BAT, it to beat the air with sufficient force. The collar-bones are long, considerably arched, and strongly jointed to the breast-bone and the shoulder-blades. In the insect-eating Bats, these bones are more developed than in the fruit-eaters; probably because the former teed a better r apparatus for the capture of their quick-winged prey, than the latter for seeking their vegetable food. Some species of Bat present a collar-bone which is half the length of the elong ated upper arm. The. breast-bone is very long, and is widely expanded so as to form a strong point of attachment for the two collar-bones. There is also a bony crest running down its centre, which serves as a support for the enormous breast-muscles that work the wings. The ribs are long and well rounded, and, indeed, seem to be much greater in proportionate length than those of any other mammal. The lower portions of the body and limbs are singularly small in proportion to the upper limbs. The legs are short and slender, and so arranged that the feet are rather turned outward, for the purpose of using their sharp claws freely. A kind of slender and spur-like bone is seen to proceed from the heel of each foot. When the skeleton is clothed with its softer textures, these curious bones run between the double membrane that joins the legs to the tail, and reach nearly half-way to the latter member. The re 116 THE VAMPIRE BAT. exact history of this bony spur is not quite settled, some authors considering it to be a separate bone, while others think that it is merely a projection of the heel-bone, which remains permanently disunited. The feet are small, and each toe is furnished with a very sharp, strong, and curved claw, by means of which the animal is enabled to suspend itself from any object which affords a sheht projection. Tt will be seen on a glance at the formation of the bat, that the hands, or wings, if they may be so called, are the leading characteristics of the animal, and that, to those members, the whole of the body and the remaining limbs are subsidiary. Having thus made a cursory review of the skeleton, we proceed to the outward form, and take for our first example the creature which has earned for itself a world-wide celebrity by the best means of obtaining mundane fame—the shedding of much blood. The VAMPIRE Bar is a native of Southern America, and is spread over a large extent of country. It is not a very large animal, the length of its body and tail being only six inches, or perhaps seven in large specimens, and the spread of wing two feet, or rather more. The colour of the Vampire’s fur is a mouse tint, with a shade of brown. Many tales have been told of the Vampire Bat, and its fearful attacks upon sleeping men,—tales which, although founded on fact, were so sadly exaggerated as to cause a reaction in the opposite direction. It was reported to come silently by night, and to search for the exposed toes of a sound sleeper,—its instinct telling it whether the intended victim were thoroughly buried in sleep. Poising itself above the feet of its prey, and fanning them with its extended wings, it produced a cool atmosphere, which, in those hot climates, aided in soothing the slumberer into a still deeper repose. The Bat then applied its needle-pointed teeth to the upturned foot, and inserted them into the tip of a toe with such adroit dexterity, that no pain was caused by the tiny wound. The lips were then brought into action, and the blood was sucked until the Bat was satiated. It then cisgorged the food which it had just taken, and began afresh, continuing its alternate feeding and disgorging, until the victim perished from sheer loss of blood. For a time, this statement gained dominion, but, after a while, was less and less beheved, until at last, naturalists repudiated the whole story as a “traveller’s tale.” However, as usual, the truth seems to have lain between the two extremes; for it is satisfactorily ascertained, by more recent travellers, that the Vampires really do bite both men and cattle during the night, but that the wound is never known to be fatal, and, in most instances, causes but little inconvenience to the sufferer. When they direct their attacks against mankind, the Vampires almost invariably select the foot as their point of operation, and their blood-loving propensities are the dread of both natives and Europeans. With singular audacity, the bats even creep into human habitations, and seek out the exposed feet of any sleeping inhabitant who has incautiously neglected to draw a coverlet over his limbs. When they attack quadrupeds, they generally fix themselves on the shoulders and flanks of the animal, and inflict wounds sufficiently severe to cause damage unless properly attended to. It is quite a common occurrence that when the cattle are brought from the pastures wherein they have passed the night, their shoulders and flanks are covered with blood from the bites of these blood-loving bats. It might be said that the bleeding wounds might be accounted for by some other cause, but the matter was set at rest by a fortunate capture of a Vampire “red-handed” in the very act of wounding a horse. Darwin, who narrates the circumstance, states that he was travelling in the neigh- bourhood of Coquimbo, in Chili, and had halted for the night. One of the horses became very restless, and the servant, who went to see what was the matter with the animal, fancied that he could see something strange on its withers. He put his hand quickly on the spot and secured a Vampire Bat. Next morning there was some inflammation and soreness on the spot where the bat had been captured, but the ill effects soon disappeared, and three days afterwards the horse was as well as ever. It does not seem to be the severity of the wound which does the harm, but the irritation which is caused by pressure, whether of a saddle, in the case of a horse, or of clothing, in the case of a human being. THE VAMPIRE BAT. 117 The Vampire seems to be very capricious in its tastes, for while one person may sleep in the open air with perfect impunity, another will be wounded almost nightly. Mr. Waterton, urged by his usual enthusiastic desire for personal investigation, slept for the space of eleven months in an open loft, where the Vampires came in and out every night. They were seen hovering over the hammock, and passing through the apertures that served for windows, but never made a single attack. Yet an Indian, who slept within a few yards, suffered frequently by the abstraction of blood from his toes. This distinction was not on account of colour, for a young lad about twelve years of age, the son of an English gentleman, was bitten on the forehead with such severity, that the wound bled freely on the following morning. The fowls of the same house suffered so terribly, that they died fast ; and an unfortunate jackass was being killed by inches. He looked, to use Mr. W aterton’s own language, “like misery steeped in vinegar.” Although these bats have so great a predilection for the blood of animals, they are not restricted to so sanguinary a diet, but live chie fly on insects which they capture on the wing. Indeed, they would have but a meagre diet were they to depend wholly on a VAMPIRE BAT.—Vampyrus Spectrum. supply of human or brute blood, for there are sufficient Vampires in existence to drain the life-blood from man and beast. Many other creatures have the same propensities— happy if they can gratify them ; satisfied if they are withheld from so doing. The common leech is a familiar example of a similar mode of life ; for it may be that not one leech out of a thousand ever tastes blood at all, although they are so ravenously eager after it when they have the opportunity for eratifying their sanguinary taste. On reference to the figure of the Vampire Bat, it will be seen that the wide and flattened membrane which supports the body in the air, connects together the whole of the limbs and the tail, leaving free only the hinder feet, and the thumbs of the fore paws. This membrane is ‘wondrously delicate, and is furnished not only with the minute blood-vessels, to which allusion has already been made, but with a sy stem of nerves which possess the most exquisite power of sensation. It has been long known that bats are able to thread their way among boughs of trees and other impediments with an ease that almost seems beyond the power of sight, 118 THE VAMPIRE BAT. especially when the dark hours of their flight are considered. Even utter darkness seems not to impede these curious animals in their aérial progress, and when shut up in a darkened place, in which strings had been stretched in various directions, the bats still pursued their course through the air, avoiding every obstacle with perfect precision. In order to ascertain beyond doubt whether this faculty were the result of a more than usually keen sight, or whether it were caused by some hitherto unknown structure, Spallanzani deprived a bat of its eyes, and discovered by this most cruel experiment, that the bat seemed as capable of directing its flight among the strings without its eyes as with them. Whether this curious power were resident in any part of the animal’s structure, or whether it were the result of a sixth and unknown sense, was long an enigma to naturalists. The difficulty, however, seems to have been solved by the investigations which have been made into the formation of the bat’s wing, and it is now universally allowed, that to the exquisite nervous system of its wings the bat is indebted for the above-mentioned faculty. The Vampires are said to unite in themselves the progressive power of quadrupeds and birds, and to run on the ground as swiftly as rats, while they fly through the air as easily as any bird. But this accomplishment of running is by no means general among the bats, whose mode of progress is awkward in the extreme, and when the animal is hurried or alarmed, positively ludicrous. Bats are in general very much averse to the ground, and never, unless under compulsion, place themselves on a level surface. Their mode of walking is grotesque and awkward in the extreme; and the arduous task of proceeding along the ground is achieved with such difliculty, that it seems almost to be painful to the animal which is condemned for the time to exchange its easy aérial course for the tardy and uncongenial crawl to which its earthly progress is hmited. Quadrupedal in its form, although that form may be strangely modified, the bat will occasionally assume quadrupedal action, and walk on the ground by the aid of all its four feet. The method of advancing is as follows : The bat thrusts forward one of the fore-legs or “wings,” and either hooks the claw at its extremity over any convenient projection, or buries it in the ground. By means of this hold, which it thus gains, the animal draws itself forward, raises its body partly off the earth, and advances the hind leg, making at the same time a kind of tumble forward. The process is then repeated on the opposite side, and thus the creature proceeds in a strange and unearthly fashion, tumbling and staggering along as if its brain were reeling from the effects of disease. It steers a very deviating course, falling first to one side and then to the other, as it employs the limbs of either side. None of the bats like to raise themselves into the air from a perfectly level surface, and therefore use all their endeavours to climb up some elevated spot, from whence they may launch themselves into the air. They climb with great ease and rapidity, being able to hitch their sharp and curved claws into the least roughness that may present itself, and can thus ascend a perpendicular wall with perfect ease and security. In so doing they crawl backwards, raising their bodies against the tree or wall which they desire to scale, and drawing themselves up by the alternate use of the hinder feet. When they have attained a moderate height they are able to fling themselves easily into the air, and to take to immediate flight. They have the power of rising at once from the ground, but always prefer to let themselves fall from some elevated spot. The reason is now evident why the bats take their repose in the singular attitude which has been already mentioned. When suspended by their hind feet, they are in the most favourable position for taking to the air, and when they desire to fly need only to spread their wings, and loosing their foothold, to launch themselves into the air. There may be, and probably are, other reasons for the curious reversed attitude, but that which has already been given accounts in some measure for it. Even among the birds examples are found of a similar mode of repose; members of the genus Colius, an African group of birds, sleep suspended like the bats, clinging with their feet, and hanging with their heads downwards. But these birds cannot assume this attitude for the purpose of taking to flight, as their wings are used as readily as those of most other feathered THE HORSESHOE BAT. 119 creatures, and therefore the reason which was given for the reversed position of the bats will not apply to the birds. On the nose of the Vampire Bat may be observed a curious membrane of a leaf-like shape. This strange and not prepossessing appendage to the animal is found in some of the bats which inhabit our own country. Among the British bats which possess the leaf- decorated nose, the GREAT HorsEsHOE Bar is the most conspicuous. Only the head of this animal is given in the engraving, as in its wings and body it differs but very little from other British bats. The membrane which gives to this creature the title of Horseshoe Bat, is extremely large in proportion to the size of the animal, though not so large as in some of the foreign bats. It is double in form, that portion which is in front resembling a horseshoe in shape, and curving from the lips upwards, so as to embrace the nostrils. The second leafy membrane is placed on the forehead, and is sharply pointed. The ears of this bat are large, pointed, and marked with a succession of ridges, which extend from the margins nearly half-way across the ears. The “ tragus,” HEAD OF HORSESHOE Bar, : : . . : 7 . ay Rhindlophus Ferrum-equinum, or inner ear, is wanting in this bat, but its office seems to be fulfilled by a large rounded lobe at the base of the ear. The colour of the fur is grey with a slight tinge of red above, while on the under portions of the animal the ruddy tint vanishes, and the hair is of a very pale grey. The membrane is of a dusky hue. The bat is not a very large one, the length of the: head and body being only two inches and a half, while that of the extended wings is about thirteen inches. The ears are half an inch in breadth, when measured at their widest part, and are about three-quarters of an inch in le neth. What may be the object of the wonderful nasal appendage seems to be quite unknown. The most obvious idea is, that it is given to the animals for the purpose of increasing the delicacy of their sense of smell in seeking food and avoiding foes. But even if such be the case, there seems to be no apparent reason why such a privilege should be granted to one species and denied to another—both animals being in the habit of seeking their nutriment and escaping pursuit in a similar manner. The generic term, Rhinolophus, which is applied to these bats, is derived from two Greek words, the former signifying a nose, and the latter a crest. Another peculiarity of form which has been noticed in these animals, is the presence of two prominences on the groin, which have been taken for supplementary mami, and described as such. As, however, no mammary glands exist beneath these projections, they are evidently no true mamme, and probably belong only to the skin. The Great Horseshoe Bat seems to be less endurent of light than any of its British relatives, and takes up its abode in caverns so dark and gloomy that no other species of bat will bear it company. This instinct of concealment “induces the bat to leave its home at a later and to return at an earlier hour than the other bats, and consequently it has only recently been found to exist in England. The first specimen which was captured had tixed its abode in rather a precarious situation, and was found in a building belonging to the Dartmouth powder mills. Since that time it has been discovered in many “places, but always in some dark and retired situation. There is another similar animal found in England, called the Lesser Horseshoe Bat (Rhinblophus Hipposidéros). This ereature was for some time thought to be the young of the last mentioned animal, but is now known to be a distinct species. The name Hipposideros is Greek, and in that language signifies the same as Ferrum-equinum in Latin, ze. Horseshoe. The bats which we shall now examine are devoid of that strange nasal leafage which gives so unique an aspect to its wearer. The BARBASTELLE does not seem to be very 120 THE BARBASTELLE. plentiful in this country, although specimens have several times been taken in various parts of England. It is a singular coincidence that the first acknowledged British specimen was captured in a powder mill, as was the case with the Great Horseshoe Bat. One of these animals which was for some weeks in the possession of Mr. Bell, was taken in Kent, at the bottom of a mine seventy feet in depth. It did not seem to be so active as some Long-Eared and other bats which were taken in the same locality, and preferred lying on the hearth-ruge to using its wings. It fed readily on meat and would drink water, but never became so tame as its companions. Its captive life lasted only a few weeks, its death being apparently hastened by the attacks of the other bats, one of which was detected in the very act of inflicting a bite on the Barbastelle’s neck. The colour of the Barbastelle is extremely dark, so much so, indeed, that by depth of tint alone it can be distinguished from any other British bat. On the hinder quarters, a rusty brown takes the place of the brownish-black hue which characterizes the fore- part of the body. Underneath, the hair is nearly grey, being, however, much darker towards the neck. The length of its head and hody is just two inches, that of the ears half an inch, and BARBASTELLE.—Barvastellus comminis. * the expanse of wing measures between ten and eleven inches. The ears are tolerably large, and slightly wrinkled. The tragus is sharply pointed at its tip, and widened at its base.