Chapter XII 



PITHECUS RHESUS, MACACUS RHESUS, ITS 

 BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 



Its Position amoiig the Primates; Measurements and Brain Indices; Surface 

 Appearance of the Brain; Internal Structure of the Brain Stem in Cross Section 



T 



^HE genus Pithecus, which inchides the macaques, is distributed 

 throughout India, as far north as Cashmere and Tibet, extending 

 southward to the island of Ceyh^n and eastward to the Bay of 

 Bengal. These monkeys are also found in upper and lower Burma, Siam, 

 Cochin China and the Mahiy Peninsula, as well as certain adjacent islands. 



Appearance and Beha\tor of the Macaques 



In general, the macaques are much smaller in size than the baboons and 

 for the most part are tree-living animals, inhabiting the jungle and forests 

 usually on the borders of human habitation. In many species the face is free 

 of hair, the ears prominent and protruding above the vertex of the skull. 

 Some species are heavily bearded about the face and have a mane extending 

 down the back of the head. The species here described, Macacus rhesus 

 (Pithecus rhesus), is the common macaque of northern India which is held 

 in great veneration by the Hindus, although not considered sacred by them. 

 In certain of their temples large numbers of these macaques are kept and 

 given the freedom of the building \\here they become bold and often 

 troublesome. 



The head of the macaque is much less dog-shaped than that ot the 

 baboon. The eyes are closely set and the animal is prone to take a sitting 

 posture on its haunches, holding the head upright so that the eyes are 



