APES AND MONKEYS OF THE OLD CONTINENT.

"Almost a man in size and look."

'GAY'S FABLES.

VOLTAIRE'S Vieux Solitaire, speaking of those lofty systematists, "qui ont crée l'univers avec leur plume"-they are not altogether extinct in our day-notices two zoological theories.

One of these taught that the mountains and man were produced by the waters of the sea. At first, it seems, there were charming marine men, who afterwards became amphibious, and then their fascinating forked tail (how the conservative belles of those days must have deplored the change) became transformed into the lower extremities, on which the great biped has walked ever since. The age of King Saleh, and of his daughter Queen Gulnare, evidently formed an epoch in this transition. ''The second "Treatise" demonstrated that the race of men were bastard slips of a tribe of baboons.

The controversy seems to have waxed as warm as that between the Big-endians and the Little-endians; but the worthy Solitaire appears to have been daring enough to entertain doubts of the correctness of both genealogies, and does not show any very marked preference for either of these systems:-" J'aimai," says his manuscript, "autant descendre d'un poisson que d'un singe."

And yet there have not been wanting philosophers, as we have seen, to advocate the cause of the latter pedigree, which is involved in the theory of gradual development. Notwithstanding, however, the different phases which Tiedemann and others have clearly shown to take place in the formation of the human brain before birth, ascending, as they do, from the structure of that organ in the lower animals to that of fishes, reptiles, birds, and mammiferous quadrupeds, till, during the last period of gestation it receives the finish which distinguishes the encephalon of man; and notwithstanding the occasional difficulties presented by that respectable, persevering, and omnipresent sub-family, the Bores, most of whom afford grounds to the credulous for suspecting that they have not succeeded in entirely rubbing off their excrescences-we eschew the fallacy. At the same time, feeling bound to pay all proper respect to those who are interested in

maintaining the doctrine of Monboddo and others, both French and British, we beg leave to commence our sketch with those old world monkeys whose tails still flourish in all their pendulosity and perfection.

The Guenons form a very large group. Robed in bright and beautiful furs, and often light and graceful in their proportions, they still vary greatly in size and shape. Many of them are gifted with a most bounding agility, which carries them from bough to bough, in their African and Asiatic forest-homes, with nearly the velocity of a bird. When, unhappily for them, they are captured, they prove amiable in disposition, very playful, but not malignant nor mischievous; and, with due submission to the late all-accomplished Mr. Astley, tailed though they be, they are distinguished for the facility with which they learn tricks, and the. address with which they perform them.

The Entellus Monkey,* widely spread as it is over the continent of India and its islands, is but little known to those who frequent our menageries; for, in the first place, the species is held in great respect by the natives; and, in the next, the captives generally pine and die soon after their arrival in Europe. There was one in our Zoological Garden in the Regent's Park, and another at Paris; but neither of them long survived their arrival; and Thunberg's specimen died from cold in the delicious climate of the Cape of Good Hope. The accounts given by the last-mentioned author and Wolff are very amusing; but they appear to have been embellished by a very vivid fancy. There seems, however, to be no doubt that these worshipful monkeys have acuteness enough to take advantage of the veneration in which they are held, and to make the unfortunate husbandman pay a ruinous tribute to their sanctity. When the fruits of the well-tilled earth are ripe and ready to be gathered in, down from the forests come overwhelming bands, confident in their sacred character, and make spoil of the harvest before the eyes of the cultivator. There he stands, on the spot now rich with the produce of his labours, vainly endeavouring to scare away with loud cries these swarms of relentless foragers, who quickly consume every thing. He sees his luscious figs, his refreshing cocoa-nuts, his choice apples, and mellow pears, disappear at this fête champêtre; nor do even hiscabbages and potatoes escape the appetite of his self-invited and unwelcome guests.

Dr. Horsfield, who notices the domestication of another species of monkey by the Javanese, and its association with the horse, remarks, that in every stable, from that of a prince to that of a mantry or chief of a village, one is to be found: but he never saw

* Semnopithecus Entellus.

the Budeng,* the poor Negro Monkey, thus comfortably situated. On the contrary, this unfortunate species, which possesses a jet black fur, with long silvery hairs, much prized, both by natives and Europeans, for their riding equipages and military decorations, is cruelly attacked with cudgels and stones wherever it is found, and slaughtered in great numbers. Associated in large troops on the trees of the extensive forests of Java-as many as fifty are often found together-the proscribed Budengs, at the sight of their deadly enemy, man, lift up their voices in loud screams and wailings. A violent bustle and commotion ensues, and branches of decaying trees, detached by their movements, are not unfrequently precipitated on the heads of those spectators who have imprudently, not been satisfied with observing them at a distance.

The genera Cercopithecus and Cercocebus form the section of the true Guenons. Of the former genus, which is short in the muzzle, and has a facial angle extending fifty degrees, a round head, slightly flattened in front, and a flat nose, the Diana Monkeyt and the Mona afford perhaps the most pleasing examples. It is, indeed, rather hard upon the Queen of the silver bow, that she should be degraded to the likeness of an African tailed Quadrumane; but we suppose that the white crescent on the monkey's brow was irresistible to M. Geoffroy. "Mona" is

a term applied to all long-tailed monkeys, with certain modifications, by the Moors of North Africa, and is, most probably, of Arabian origin; but the individuals of the pretty species which M. Geoffroy names Cercopithecus Mona, appear to differ much in disposition, though the general character of the species is considered to be gentle and playful. M. F. Cuvier's Mona was the most amiable of monkeys, and its sweetness of temper, which grew with its growth, and was developed under his own eye, remained unimpaired by age. It was, to be sure, a most expert and noiseless thief; and, being suffered to roam at will, would open a chest or drawer by turning the key in the lock, untie knots, undo the rings of a chain, and pick pockets with admirable dexterity. This last accomplisment was its favourite pastime; and a stranger seldom departed without having undergone a search, with a delicacy of touch not to be detected, and always successful. It was very affectionate; and the gentle satisfaction with which it would receive and return caresses, and its low but expressive cry of pleasure on such occasions, made it very endearing; nor was this feeling towards it checked by any of the disgusting habits too often exhibited by its congeners. One which was kept in the menagerie of the Zoological Society was, on the

*

Semnopithecus Maurus.

† Cercopithecus Diana.

contrary, as ill-conditioned a brute as the worst of the Simian, or of any other family.

Cercocebus approaches in its manners very near to Cercopithecus; but the greater development of the long canine teeth, the facial angle, the large cheek-pouches, and the shortening tail, seem to lead towards the Baboons. The Mangabey, or Whiteeyelid Monkey,* and the Green Monkeyt belong to this genus. Western Africa is supposed to be the locality of the former; and. the latter is known to be an inhabitant of the Cape de Verd Islands, as well as of the African Continent. The Mangabey, with its upper eyelids of a dead white, was so named by Buffon, from the erroneous supposition that his specimens were brought from that territory in Madagascar. In a state of captivity it is a most unwearied droll-frolicsome and good-natured withal. Sir William Jardine mentions a female in Mr. Wombwell's menagerie that was most lively, and gives a figure of her, no easy task for she was never at rest for one moment; and her activity was increased when she perceived that she was noticed. "She performed," says Sir William, "many of the attitudes of the most experienced harlequins ***. She was remarkably cleanly and careful not to soil her person. When feeding, she seldom put her head to the food or dish, but lifted and conveyed it to her mouth." Her diet consisted of bread and milk principally, and vegetables occasionally like Potemkin, she was very fond of a carrot. The large troops in which the Green Monkeys assemble have been remarked by many travellers. It was one of these societies, most probably, that afforded M. Adanson the excellent sport, on the enjoyment of which he dwells with so much satisfaction. The poor animals were surprised in the midst of their tricks; and M. Adanson declares that nothing could be more entertaining than the endeavours of the little wretches to escape from the slaughtering gun which the traveller seems to have worked most unrelentingly.. Though he killed twenty-three in less than one hour, within a space of twenty toises, and wounded, we dare say, many more, not one of the sufferers screamed during the whole time; but the rest gathered together in companies, knit their brows, gnashed their teeth, and yelled as if they intended to attack him. We wish they had with all our hearts, and to some purpose, too, though we have great respect for philosophers in general, and for zoologists in particular.

:

Before we proceed to the Baboons, we must not forget a curious form which is placed by some naturalists among the Guenons. The Proboscis Monkey‡ unites in its person the 'unshapely cor* Cercocebus fuliginosus.

+ Cercocebus sabæus.

+ Nasalis larvatus, Geoffroy; Guenon nasique, Desmarest; Le Kahau, Audebert.

pulence of the Orangs, with the long arms of the Gibbons and the guttural sac of the Howlers. Its physiognomy defies description. Diego's feature shrinks into insignificance-though he had been to the Promontory of Noses and got him "one of the goodliest that ever fell to a single man's lot"-in comparison with the proboscis of the Kahau. He who has only seen stuffed specimens, can have no idea of the hideous mask that the undried face presents; for the protuberance is entirely cartilaginous, and can be inflated by the animal to a prodigious size. The Kahau is about three feet high when erect, and has a long tail. We saw one taken out of spirit in which it had been preserved, looking like one of those horrible female fiends sometimes pictured in old wood-cuts

"Not uglier follow the night hag."

A celebrated French naturalist, who was present at the opening of the casket which contained this zoological jewel, was in raptures, and, as the bust emerged, he uttered an exclamation significatory of her maternity. We looked in vain for the young imps, which had probably escaped when their poor barrelled-up mother fell. It must be startling to look round in the wildernesses of Borneo, and behold one of those horrible visages peering, Zamiel-like, from behind the trunk of some dark tree. At sunrise and sunset these animated caricatures assemble in the woods that border the rivers. Then and there they continually ply their guttural sacs and sonorous noses, till the vicinage echoes again with a cry, supposed to be expressed by the word "Kahau" often repeated; and hence their name. Their activity is energetic, and they will bound from tree to tree, clearing an intermediate space of from fifteen to twenty feet.

Passing by the Douc, or, Cochin-China Monkey,* with its many-coloured coat, for its manners are little known, we must now call the reader's attention to forms in which monkey-depravity seems to reach its height.

The Baboons concentrate all that is fierce, malicious, and disgusting. There are two tribes of these enormously powerful and furious brutes. The first, and best, are distinguished by having their nostrils situated on the face, so to speak; the second form the group of Dog-headed Baboons, Cynocephali, and in them the nasal aperture is placed at the end of the muzzle.

Of the more gentle tribe, the Wanderowt presents itself as a good example. This "Child of the Sun" as our showmen used always to designate it-why, heaven only knows, unless, as the French have done their best for Diana, the English are determined Macacus silenus.

* Lasiopyga nemæa.