NO. 3662 PRIMATE BIOLOGY—NAPIER 13 
species that are worthy of note—the talapoin, the savannah monkey,’ 
and the patas. The talapoin is untried as a laboratory animal but is 
theoretically desirable in view of its small size and the possession of 
a sexual swelling in females. Savannah monkeys have been used 
fairly extensively, notably in the culture of poliomyelitis vaccine. 
Patas monkeys are used quite widely in Britain today; the fully adult 
male patas monkey, however, equals a male baboon in size. 
Some slight success in breeding talapoins in the laboratory has been 
reported (Hill, 1967). There is little information on breeding of patas 
monkeys beyond the fact that between 1959 and 1963 twenty-four 
births were recorded in world zoos (Napier and Napier, 1967). Goswell 
and Gartlan (1965) have recorded a single instance of a laboratory 
birth. Savannah monkeys and their allies, on the other hand, breed 
moderately freely. It seems logical to anticipate that other members 
of the genus Cercopithecus, such as C. ascanius schmidti (the red tail), 
would be of value in research once they are better known biologically. 
Apxs.—It is hardly necessary to discuss the apes in the context of 
human research. While it is obviously highly desirable on phylogenetic 
grounds that chimpanzees should be used for many aspects of bio- 
medical research, their expensiveness and relative rarity should 
preclude their use other than in very exceptional circumstances wherein 
no alternatives exist. This does not prevent chimpanzees from being 
employed in experimental work that does not result in the sacrifice of 
the animal. It is perhaps in the fields of functional morphology and 
growth and aging studies that these animals can contribute most to 
human understanding. 
Gorillas and orangutans have no place in the medical laboratory 
owing to their extreme rarity although, as in the case of chimpanzees, 
they can contribute to many aspects of human biology. The only 
remaining ape species to be considered is the gibbon. Being the most 
active of all primates, they require considerable space in order to 
remain healthy through the performance of a normal locomotor 
repertoire. Their unique—in an Old World primate sense—social 
behavior patterns make them unsuitable as breeding animals. 
The scientist faced with a research problem must choose the animal 
most suited to his requirements. Perhaps the most serious question 
that he must ask himself is: Need primates be used at all for this 
particular experiment? Would not a white rat, a guinea pig, or a 
rabbit do just as well? The conservation of wildlife is a serious scientific, 
economic, and social problem and not simply a hobby for elderly 
ladies. Primates are rare animals, and it should be a matter for pro- 
2 Common names of the three geographical species of the savannah monkey 
(C. aethiops group) are the grivet, the vervet, and the green monkey. 
