HABITS OF THE PIGMY APE. 231 



The residence of wild animals being generally far 

 removed from the habitations of man, it is difficult to 

 trace their instincts ; especially of those species that 

 seclude themselves in the recesses of woods and 

 forests, where few ever enter but hunters or wander- 

 ers, who are too much engaged in securing them- 

 selves against danger, to observe attentively the 

 habits of the creatures around them. Some par- 

 ticulars have, however, been collected of different 

 species of the ape genus, which are worth your 

 notice. 



The pigmy ape is found in the southern parts of 

 Africa : it lives in woods, and feeds on fruits and 

 insects. If wild beasts attack them, they assemble 

 in troops, and defend themselves by throwing a cloud 

 of sand behind them, which blinds their pursuers, and 

 renders their escape easy. This action shows great 

 sagacity, and appears to be the result of reflection. 

 They act in concert, as is seen from their plunder- 

 ing gardens or plantations in a large body ; whilst 

 one of them is always stationed on an eminence as 

 a watchman, to see that no enemy is at hand. If 

 all is safe, he makes it known by a signal that sets 

 them all to work ; but if he perceives any one ap- 

 proach, he warns those on the ground to mn up the 

 trees. If it is necessary to abandon their project, 

 they will pursue their route, by leaping from tree to 



