4 SJMIAD.E. 



they feed on young shoots or leaves, from the quasi-rumiuant character 

 of the stomach ; and it has since been ascertained beyond a doubt that 

 they constantly do partake of leaves. Bezoars have been found in the 

 stomach of a Malayan Presbytis, thus affording a curious analogy to the 

 ruminants, in whom alone they otherwise occur. 



The species of this genus abound in most of the forests of India, and 

 their loud calls resound to vast distances through the jungles. They leap 

 with sui'prising agility and precision from branch to branch, and when 

 pressed take most astonishing jumps. I have seen them cross from tree 

 to tree, a space of 20 to 30 feet wide, with perhajis 40 or 50 feet in 

 descent, and alight in safety on the branch they sought. They can run 

 on all-fours with considerable rapidity, taking long strides or rather 

 bounds. The tail of these monkeys of course is not prehensile ; yet I 

 have heard several men whom I considered persons of observation, and 

 whose testimony I would willingly take on other subjects, assert most 

 positively that they had seen Langurs holding on by their tails and 

 thus swinging themselves from tree to tree. Such is the force of a 

 pre conceived idea, that it prevails over actual observation of the 

 senses. 



Several species of Presbytis have been described of late years, which 

 were formerly confounded under the old name of Entellus, and there 

 are five undoubted species of the genus inhabiting India proper. 



1. Presbytis entellus. 



Simla apud Dufresnoy — fig. F. Cuvier, Mamm., I. 3, and HI. G. — 

 Ilunumdn of Hindus. — Langur H. — Wanur, and Makur, Mahr. — 

 Musya, Can. — Blyth, Cat. 27. — Elliot, Cat, 2. — Horsfield, Cat. 4. — 

 P. anchises, Elliot 1 



The Bengal Langur. 



Descr. — The general hue of this species is a pale dirty or ashy stra- 

 mineous, darker (in some) on the shoulders, rump, and sides of the limbs, 

 and paler on the head and lower parts; entire hands and feet con- 

 spicuously black ; no trace of a crest of hairs on the vertex. 



Length of a male, 30 inches to root of tail, which was 43 inches ; 

 but it attains a still lai-ger size. 



This is the common Langur or Hunumdn of Bengal and Central 

 India. Buchanan Hamilton says that it is not found north of the 



