SPORT IN WESTERN CHINA 191 



advanced by local Chinese officials as a reason why foreign 

 steamships should not be allowed to ply between Ichang and 

 Chungking ! I have been through these gorges many times, but 

 have never seen a Monkey. However, it is probable that they 

 do occur in this region. The Chinese are very fond of Monkeys 

 as pets, and have many curious legends concerning them. 



A number of species are known to occur in China, especially 

 in the west, where is found the Snub-nose Monkey, or Chinese 

 Langur {Rhinopiihecus), of which three species are now known. 

 The members of this curious family all have ridiculously 

 upturned noses, tails of great length, and remarkably long 

 and silky hair. The oldest-described species is R. roxellance, 

 which is fairly common in the forests of the Chino-Thibetan 

 borderland, from the neighbourhood of the Kansu frontier 

 southwards, but more especially in the Chiarung states of Wassu 

 and Mupin and the region lying between Romi Chango and 

 Tachienlu, where it occurs in troupes in the coniferous forests 

 between 8000 and 12,000 feet altitude. In the males the 

 cheeks, throat, sides of the head and neck are bright rusty red, 

 with light patches over the eyes ; crown of head and nape, 

 rich red-brown ; back, grey ; inner sides of the limbs, under- 

 parts, upper sides of the hands and feet, rich orange or bright 

 golden-red ; tail, grey, tipped creamy white ; the bare parts 

 of the face and nose, blue. The female is rather smaller and 

 lighter-coloured in general, with theforehead uniformly coloured 

 bright orange. The male measures about 30 inches head and 

 body, and has a tail about 28^ inches long. The skin of this 

 animal, especially that of the under-parts with the long golden 

 tresses of hair, is used as a lining for garments and worn by 

 the Chinese as a cure for, and preventive of, rheumatism. 



In the upper reaches of the Mekong River a second species 

 {R. hieti) occurs. The head and body of the male measures 

 about 33 inches and the tail 28|- inches ; the throat, chest, 

 sides of the rump, and flanks are white, the rest of the body 

 is more or less slaty or bluish-grey ; the bare parts of the face 

 bluish-green. The female is smaUer, more greyish on the 

 throat and stomach. The very young animals are pale grey, 

 or almost white. The male of this species has a remarkably 

 fine and thick tail. 



