78 MAMMALS. 



peculiar to Africa. There are three species in Iforth Africa, tlireo in West Africa, and one (the 

 Chacma) in South Africa, besides a species, the Gelada, forming a subsection in Abyssinia. 



So far as the Old-world Monkeys are concerned, their distribution between tropical Asia and 

 tropical Africa is singularly equal, there being almost exactly the same number of different species in 

 each. That number, according to some, is forty, but from what has been above said as to the difficulty 

 of distinguishing the species, it is scarcely possible to arrive at a correct estimate on that subject. 



Platyrrhini — New- WORLD Monkeys. (Map 10.) The next section, the Platyrkhini, is 

 entirely American. It is composed of two families, the CEBiDiE and the Hapalidje. They ex- 

 tend from the Atlantic on the cast to the Andes on the west, and from Central America on the 

 north to the southern limits of Paraguay on the south. 



CEBiDiE. — Dr. Slack, who has well monographed a portion of this section, divides it into 

 three groups, the Lagotheices, the Cebi, and Pitheci^. The first, Lagothrices (under which name 

 he includes the Cebi of older authors), are distinguished by their truly prehensile tails, and are 

 found in tropical South America wherever it is covered with forests ; I say truly prehensile tails, 

 because there is another group of this family which have the tail, to a certain extent, prehensile, 

 but hairy all round, and not like that of the Lagothrices, which is furnished on the under side with' 

 a naked, flattened, palm-like termination, studded with papillaj analogous to those of the palm of 

 the human hand ; and which, from experiments made upon the living animal, appears to be even more 

 sensitive than the hand itself. The structure of the species provided with it bears strict relation to 

 a forest life. Admirably adapted to such a condition of existence, they can gather their food on the 

 loftiest trees, and dart with inconceivable rapidity along the frailest branches, and by their agility 

 put the most powerful enemies at defiance. On the ground, and away from their natural habita- 

 tion, they are slow, weak, and helpless. Where the woods cease, there cease the Cebid.b. 



The extent of their domain is stated by Mr. Bates at 1260 miles from west to east, its breadth 

 varying from 600 to 800 miles, towards the east continuing with grassy breaks for 700 miles further, 

 terminating only on the shores of the Atlantic. "But," he adds, "as there is no complete break 

 of continuity, the statement of Humboldt (who liad a glimpse of the immeasm'able wiklcrness only 

 from its western commencement in Peru) still holds good, to the effect that a flock of monkeys might 

 travel amongst the tree-tops, were it not for the rivers, for 2000 miles in a straight line, v*-ithout once 

 touching the ground ; namelj^ from the slopes of the Andes to the shores of the Atlantic."* 



One genus of these Monkeys, Aluatta, or Mycetes, the Howling Monkej's, is provided 

 with a special drum-like structure of the hyoid bono, which enables them to make the most deafening 

 noise when they howl, which they do night and morning most persistently, except when in captivity, 

 when they lose their voice, or rather do not exercise it, probably from want of vigour. As a 

 sick patient, or a man in a delicate state of health, does not indidge in vociferous shouting or 

 irrejiressible bursts of song, so our poor consumptive quadrumanous weaklings keep a languid 

 silence in our menageries. 



These are the most unattractive, and even repulsive, of all tlic si^ccics of American monkeys. 

 A large pyramidal head placed iipona thick unwieldy body, contrasts strongly with the globular 

 heads, and comparatively light bodies of the other genera. They extend through tlie whole of the 

 forests from New Grenada to Brazil. They are also found in Bolivia, but do not cross the Andes. 



* Jjates' " Notes on Aiiiuuil Life in a Pnraeval Forest," in " Good Words," .Juno, 18G4, p. (;6. 



