164 Lloyd's natural history. 



swing downwards. They also ascend with great rapidity, 

 swinging themselves from tree to tree. {Bla?tfo?'d.) 



When walking on the ground the Hoolock rests on its hind 

 feet alone, with the sole flat on the ground and the great-toe 

 widely separated from the other digits. "They walk erect," 

 writes Dr. Borrough, " and when placed on the floor, or in an 

 open field, balance themselves very prettily by raising their 

 hands over their head and slightly bending the arm at the 

 wrist and elbows, and then run tolerably fast, rocking from side 

 to side ; and if urged to greater speed they let fall their hands 

 to the ground and assist themselves forward, rather jumping 

 than running, still keeping the body, however, nearly erect." 



VI. THE HAINAN GIBBON. HYLOBATES HAINANUS. 



? Hylobafes pikaius, Swinhoe, P. Z. S., 1870, p. 224 (nee Gray). 

 Hylohates hainanus^ Thomas, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (6), ix., 

 p. 145 (1892). 



Characters. — Very closely related to H. hoolock, but differs by 

 the entire absence of the white superciliary streak, the animal 

 being jet black all over. 



Distribution. — The island of Hainan. 



Habits. — This species has not been seen alive in its native 

 haunts by any European naturalist. Consul Swinhoe made 

 many efforts to obtain a living specimen in the island of Hainan, 

 but was unsuccessful. " I never ceased," he says, " to enquire 

 after it. Every one knew that such an animal did exist, and 

 many had seen it ; but they all spoke of the great difficulty of 

 keeping it alive. At Taipingsze (Central Hainan) the wonder- 

 ful stories that were told about it showed that the Yuen was 

 not often seen there. The magistrate of that district assured me, 



