CHAPTER IX 



MONKEYS, APES AND THEIR KINDRED 



If a vote were taken, among young people at any rate, as to the 

 most popular kind of animal exhibited in zoological collections, there 

 is little doubt that the Monkeys, Apes and their kindred would 

 almost, if not quite, head the list. Among mammals, Monkeys 

 undoubtedly hold a very high place, so far as concerns their general 

 appeal to the human race, and perhaps, remembering our close 

 relationship to them, this is as it should be. 



Their comical faces, curious ways, active habits and at times 

 remarkable attachment to their owners, and attainments as tricksters, 

 cannot fail to interest the student of animal life, and whilst in other 

 ways, such as the point of view of real beauty, few Monkeys have 

 much to commend them, there is little doubt that taken all round 

 they are a very popular class of mammals deserving of attention. 



The family is a pretty extensive one in regard to numbers, 

 whilst in size they range from the huge Gorilla to tiny mites not 

 much larger than a Squirrel. It is these smaller kinds which appear 

 to possess such bright, intelligent little faces which appeal more to 

 the writer than the larger species, although the rough old Orang- 

 utan and, of course, the Chimpanzees are always worth paying 

 attention to. 



MANDRILL. — Another great friend of the writer's is Georgie, 

 the handsome Mandrill Baboon, which, in view of a lengthy and 

 delightful acquaintance, has been given pride of place in this volume 

 in the form of a coloured frontispiece, a remarkable likeness painted 

 from life. Strictly speaking, the Gorilla should be first treated of 

 among the Monkey tribe, but a few notes may be given concerning 

 the Mandrill, then we can follow on with the first-named, and 

 afterwards make acquaintance with the Chims, Orang-Utan and 

 many other kinds of less known Monkey-folk. 



Our friend Georgie Mandrill, as we will call him, must never 

 on any account be missed by visitors to the London Zoo, for he is 



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