THE GIBBONS. 1 57 



became one of the most gentle and engaging creatures possible ; 

 but when the calling of its free mates reached its prison house, 

 it used most pathetically to place its ear close to the bars of its 

 cage and listen with such intense and eager wistfulness that 

 it was impossible to retain it in durance any longer. It was 

 accordingly set free on the margin of its old forest home. 

 Strange to say, its former companions, perceiving perhaps the 

 odour of captivity about it, seemed to distrust its respectability, 

 and refused to allow it to mingle with them. Amid the free 

 woods we may hope that this taint was soon lost and that it 

 recovered all its pristine happiness. 



In general habits it in no way differs from the other species 

 of Hylobates already described. 



In regard to the Bornean specimens of this species, Dr. 

 Anderson makes the following observations : " This species 

 varies from grey to dark yellowish-brown, but the grey tint in 

 certain lights appears pure ashy, and in others of a brownish 

 tint. In some the chest and abdomen are frequently yellow, 

 and this seems to be the character of individuals met with on 

 the west coast of Borneo, while those inhabiting the meridional 

 parts of the island have the hands and fore part of the body of 

 a black-brown or reddish-brown. In both of these varieties 

 there is a yellowish-white superciliary streak. The last of them 

 leads into the varieties of Hylobates from the neighbouring 

 islands of Sulu, to the north-east of Borneo, in which the upper 

 parts of the body are either grey or brownish, the lower part of 

 the back and the loins being a little more clear than the rest." 

 The outer surface of the limbs, the back part of the head, the 

 supercilium, and the sides of the face are more or less pure ashy- 

 grey. " Specimens of this Gibbon obtained by me," writes Mr. 

 Charles Hose, who is well known for his Bornean researches, 



