FROM BORNEO. 115 



ausseren Nase des genus Rhinopithecus) has i. a. iu these 

 two papers of high scientific value and adorned with 

 splendid figures, collected and exhibited all he could gather 

 concerning the remarkable elongated nose of the Proboscis- 

 Monkey, reaching the question whether this organ is 

 moveable by the animal at his will or if it may be 

 regarded as being a hinderance in its movements and 

 feeding. As a matter of fact only can be considered the obser- 

 vations made by trustworthy people having seen the animal 

 in a living state ; these are four, namely : Baron van Wurmb, 

 Dr. 0. Finsch, Prof. Sluiter and Prof. Selenka ') ; and now 

 we find two opinions; the first two observers — see for 

 V. Wurmb hereafter p. 120 — state that they never have 

 seen that the Proboscis-Monkeys hold fast their nose if 

 jumping, moreover Dr. Finsch personally told me that 

 they do not remove the pendulous nose when bringing 

 the food in the mouth, meanwhile Prof. Sluiter and Prof. 

 Selenka imformed Prof. Wiedersheim by letter : » dass die 

 »Nahrung nicht in den Mund eingebracht werden konnte, 

 »bevor nicht die über den Mund herabhangende Nase erapor- 

 »gehoben wurde". The conclusion is therefore that we want 

 new and more observations and, although it seems to me 

 that there is better ground to accept the opinion of v. Wurmb 

 and Finsch, as I hardly can believe that such a marvel- 

 lously developed and remarkable organ would be a kind of 

 hinderance to its happy possessor instead of being of use 

 perhaps as an ornament or if blown up and fulled with 

 blood as hideous frightful, I think we should practice the 

 golden sentense »in dubiis abstine". At all events there 

 are no »données" for hypotheses like Dr. Brandes has given 

 one in the following style: »wird die Nase dem borne- 

 »sischen Nasenafifen im freien Wettbewerb ernstlich hinder- 



1) Dr. 0. Mohnike (Blicke auf das Pflanzen- und Thierleben in den Nieder- 

 landischen Malaienlandern, 1883, p. 383) made not a single observation con- 

 cerning the nose of our Monkey, notwithstanding he relates: «ich habe zu 

 fSambas mehrere lebende Exemplare dieser Affenart selbst besessen und noch 

 «verschiedene andere daselbst bei Bekannten von mir gesehen". 



Notes from the l^eyden Miusetim, "Vol. XXIII. 



