THE SILVERY GIBBON. 37 
erect, permitting the arms to hang freely by his sides, finds that the tips of his 
fingers reach to the middle of the thigh. But when the Gibbon assumes the erect 
attitude, its finger-tips reach as far as the ankle-joint. Again, if a well-proportioned 
man stands perfectly erect, and stretches his arms out in a horizontal direction, the 
distance between the extended finger-tips is as nearly as possible equal to the height 
of the body, measured from the top of the head to the ground. But if the Agile Gibbon 
extends its limbs in a similar manner, the measurement between the fingers is just 
double that of the entire height of the animal. 
On account of this great preponderance of the arms over the legs, the Agile Gibbon 
is not a very good walker on its hinder feet, but waddles along in an awkw ard fashion. 
While thus employed, the animal sways its long arms as balancers after the fashion 
of a rope-dancer, and now and then helps itself along the level surface with the 
hands on the ground. The Gibbon, though so marvelously light and active among 
trees, is totally out of its element when it is deprived of the. branches, and forced 
to traverse the flat ground. All its elegance and exquisite address are lost, and the 
creature becomes as “clumsy as it was formerly graceful. “A swan while awkwardly 
hobbling over dry land, with a gait like that of a lame Silenus, affords no greater 
contrast to the same bird when proudly sailing on the water with arched neck and 
gliding movement, than does the Gibbon when stranded on unfamiliar earth to the 
same animal disporting itself among the congenial branches. 
This species does not appear to love society as much as do many of the apes 
and monkeys, but lives in pairs, contented with the society of its own family. 
The voice of this ape is of a very peculiar character, and its powers are put forth with 
the greatest intensity while the animal is performing its wonderful feats of agility. The 
time of day seems to have some influence upon the creature and its cry, for in its native 
state the Gibbon is most noisy in the early mornings,—the loud, strange cry being probably 
a call-note to its companions. Even in the open air, this call-note is exceedingly loud, 
and can be heard at great distances, so that when the animal is confined in a room, 
and exerts its voice, the ears of the bystanders suffer somewhat from its deafening 
resonance, 
In themselves, the notes of this curious ery are rather musical than otherwise, but 
they are uttered with such vigour, that they become painful to the ears. 
To judge by the ery of the female Gibbon, it is quite a musical performance, capable 
of being set to musical notes, and coming to an abrupt conclusion, by a couple of barks 
in octaves. The animal achieves the chromatic scale admirably, effecting the descent (no 
easy task even to the practised human vocalist) with a precision and rapidity that renders 
the vocal gymnastics as remarkable as those of the limbs. The note on which the creature 
began was E; and starting from this note, she began a series of chromaties, first ascending 
to the upper octave, and then descending in the same way, but always sounding the lower 
E almost simultaneously with the upper note, whatever that note might ‘be. These 
musical efforts seemed to excite the creature greatly, for her whole frame appeared strung 
to a pitch of great intensity, her body dilated and quivered with excitement while she 
uttered her rapid cry, and at its conclusion she shook with all her strength the object to 
which she was clinging. 
This individual was pleasing in manners, gentle and caressing to those whom she 
favoured. With delicate discrimination, she at once admitted ladies into her confidence, 
and would come to them voluntarily, shake hands, and permit herself to be stroked. But 
when gentlemen tried to gain her affection, she deliberated on the matter, and did not 
allow of a nearer*acquaintance without further investigation. But when her scruples 
were once overcome, she was perfectly affectionate and confiding. 
The StnvErY GiIBBoN derives its name from the silver-grey colour which generally 
pervades the fur. In some parts of the body, however, there is a browner tinge, and the 
face and palms of the hands are quite black. The sides of the face are covered with 
white, furry hair, which is so plentiful, that although the ears are tolerably large, they are 
nearly hidden among the luxuriant hairy fringe that encircles the head. The eyes of this 
‘and of the other Gibbons are deeply sunk in the head. The size of the Silvery Gibbon is 
