Monograph of the Genus Semnopithecus. 323 



guenons, macaques, and other genera, the stomach is simple, 

 — in the Semnopitheci, on the contrary, it is highly complex, 

 being divided into numerous large sacculi, a mode of organi- 

 zation leading M. Otto to regard it as an analogue of the ru- 

 minating stomach of the Ruminantia, an hypothesis which 

 appears to be inadmissible. This peculiarity of the stomach 

 of the Semnopitheci was first observed by Wurmb, in the pro- 

 boscis monkey, but not described in detail ; it was subse- 

 quently noticed by M. Otto in the S. leucoprymnus, and it 

 has since been observed by Mr. Owen in the S. maurus and 

 the S. fascicular is, Raffles, and the S. Entellus. The latter 

 species has indeed been more than once dissected by our- 

 selves, and the stomach prepared. Mr. Owen's original de- 

 scription of the stomach of the Entellus is as follows. " It 

 may be regarded as consisting of three divisions ; — First, a 

 cardiac pouch, with smooth and simple parietes, slightly bi- 

 fid at the extremity. Secondly, a middle, very wide and sac- 

 culated portion. Thirdly, a narrow, elongated canal, saccu- 

 lated at its commencement, and of simple structure towards 

 its termination. The latter, from its great vascularity, and the 

 more abundant distribution of the nerves of the eighth pair, 

 Mr. Owen regards as the true digestive stomach; the two for- 

 mer divisions being rather to be considered as preparatory re- 

 ceptacles." These divisions are not, however, characterized, 

 as in the stomachs of the Ruminantia or Cetacea, by any es- 

 sential difference of structure, none of them possessing a cu- 

 ticular lining. Mr. Owen conceives it highly probable that 

 the food of the Semnopitheci is more herbaceous than that of 

 the monkeys generally, and "that the enlarged capacity of the 

 stomach enables them to carry off great quantities of herbage 

 to masticate at their leisure, the great developement of these 

 receptacles compensating at once both for the absence or rudi- 

 mentary condition of the cheek-pouches, and for the less nutri- 

 tious quality of the food." That the cardiac and middle sac- 

 culi are receptacles for a vast mass of herbaceous aliment, we 

 admit, — but, as far as we are aware, there is no proof of the 

 act of regurgitation taking place in these animals, nor do we 

 consider it to be needed, inasmuch as the soft mass would 

 only require to be transmitted gradually from the magazine- 

 like sacculi into the true digesting portion, in order to its due 

 elaboration. Besides, the stomach, though divided into com- 

 partments, does not exhibit the same structural peculiarities 

 as obtain in the stomach of the Ruminantia. Nevertheless 

 it is possible, that regurgitation may occasionally take place, 

 as it does in the kangaroos ; — we say occasionally, not habit- 

 ually and necessarily, as in the ox or antelope. Now in the 



