THE GIBBONS 55 



THE GIBBONS 

 Genus Hylobates 



With the gibbons we come to the last of the Man-like Apes, distinguished from 

 those which we have hitherto considered, not only by their smaller size, lighter 

 build, and longer arms, but also by the presence of small naked callosities on the 

 buttocks, resembling those of the lower monkeys. They are, moreover, the only 

 apes accustomed to walk in an upright position, in which, as shown in the illustra- 

 tion on p. 53, they are at times assisted by their long arms, although they can walk 

 perfectly well with their hands clasped behind the neck. 



The gibbons, or long-armed apes, comprise several species found 

 Characteristics ,, ,. ^ ,, . . , ' . ,, 



in the warmer regions of Southeastern Asia, and more especially in 



and around the Malay Peninsula. The largest of all the species only slightly 

 exceeds 3 feet in height, while the others are not more than about 30 inches. 

 Their arms are so long that they reach to the ankle, so that these animals can 

 actually walk upright and at the same time touch the ground with their fingers. 

 The head is well-shaped, without the upward prolongation of the crown that is so 

 characteristic of the orang ; and the lower jaw is remarkable for the great de- 

 velopment of the chin, which is more human-like than that of any other ape. 

 Moreover, from the absence of prominent ridges and crests, and the nearly upright 

 forehead, the whole skull strikes one as approaching the human type far more 

 nearly than do those of the other apes. This must not, however, be considered 

 as an indication that the gibbons are of a higher type than the other Man-like 

 Apes, since the contrary is clearly demonstrated by their long arms and the 

 callosities on the buttocks. The resemblance of their skulls to the human type is, 

 indeed, merely a superficial one, due to the circumstance that small animals must 

 necessarily have proportionately larger brains than the larger members of the same 

 group ; and also to the absence of the strong ridges which are necessary for the 

 powerful skulls of the larger forms, but would be quite useless in their smaller 

 cousins. The superficial human-like characters of the skulls of the gibbons are, 

 however, to a great extent destroyed by their long slender tusks, or canine teeth, 

 which project far beyond the level of the other teeth. The long and narrow hands 

 and feet of these animals (shown in Figs. 11-13 f the illustration on p. 15) are 

 characterized by the great extent to which the thumb and great toe are respectively 

 separated from the other fingers and toes, as well as by the flatness of all the nails. 

 In color, the gibbons vary from black to yellowish-white ; this variation occurring 

 even in different individuals of the same species. The comparatively well-formed 

 nose, as seen in our figure of the white-handed gibbon, imparts to their physi- 

 ognomy an expression far less repulsive and forbidding than that which character- 

 izes the larger Man-like Apes. 



In disposition the gibbons are gentle and confiding ; and when cap- 

 Disposition m , . ' L . . . 



tured young they can be readily tamed. Their constitution is, how- 

 ever, even more delicate than that of the other Man-like Apes ; and consumption 

 soon terminates their existence in Europe, even when the greatest care and attention 





