ON THE MONKEYS KNOWN TO THE CHINESE. 35 



Art. VII. — On the Monkeys known to the Chinese, from the Native 

 Authorities. By Samuel Birch, Esq., Assistant in the Depart- 

 ment of Antiquities, British Museum ; Assistant Secretary for the 

 English Section of the Archaeological Institute of Rome. 

 ( Continued from page 592, vol. 3^. 



Leaving the animals approximating nearest to man in Chi 

 nese Natural History, a secondary kind of baboons or apes 

 appears in the Encyclopedia. Of these the Pei, the Hwatso, 

 the Pih yuen, and others, are not very discernable with re- 

 gard to species, although their general appearance is suffi- 

 ciently accurate to identify the genera to which they appertain. 

 The Pih yuen is apparently a Hylohates or Machacus ursinus, 

 and its name implies "a white monkey." The 'San tsae' ob- 

 serves, — " There are in the Tsang ting hills many Pih yuen; 

 their outward appearance is similar to a Me how. They have 

 large and uneven arms and legs, taking long steps, and are 

 excellent climbers of trees ; their note is mournful." — San. 

 Zool. iv. 41. The Pe or Pei is perhaps the Siamang ; it is 

 figured erect, is described as " like a wild boar, with white 

 stripes, long neck, and tall legs. It stands erect like man, 

 is fierce, stupid, and excessively powerful. It tears up trees 

 and delights in injuring mankind." — San «Scc. Zo. iv. 19. This 

 animal is not described or drawn in the Japanese Encyclope- 

 dia. The Mashe (horse-hog) is fabulous from its description, 

 viz. " that in the Fow yu hills are quadrupeds whose exterior 

 form is like that of an ape with four ears, tiger's hair, and a 

 cow's tail. Their cry is a loud bark. They are designated Ma 

 she and eat men. When seen it is a sign of plenty of water." 

 This, if real, is the Machacus leoninus. Likewise the animal 

 in Zool. iv. p. 30, where the description states that " in the 

 Yuho kingdom are beasts whose body is of a black colour. 

 Fire issues from their mouths. Their appearance is like a 

 Mehow. They walk and sit like men." — Zool. iv. 30. This 

 is either a Hylohates or Simla Lar. 



The Pih heaou (white bawler) is an edible animal. The 

 San tsae (Sec. fixes it to the Lun tseen hills. " In the Lun tseen 

 hills are beasts like apes, wdth long arms. They are fit for 

 killing, and called Pih heaou." — San tsae, &c. Zool. iv. 34. 

 The Papio Maimon is figin*ed under the name of Tao teih or 

 glutton, and a most ludicrous mistake has been made by the 

 describers ; for since the eyes of the Papio^ especially of the 

 adult animal, are excessively small, they have accordingly 

 been figured and described in the nipples of the animal ! — 

 "The gluttons" says the text "have a goat's body, with human 



