THE THUMBLESS MONKEYS 85 



African monkeys have accordingly been described under the name of Colobus, in 

 allusion to the feature in question. There is no popular name by which these 

 monkeys are generally known, and we have accordingly entitled them the Thumb- 

 less Monkeys. Since, however, this term would be somewhat cumbersome when 

 prefixed to another denoting the various species, it has been usual to anglicize the 

 scientific name Colobus. 



There are rather less than a dozen species of this group known to science. 

 Our acquaintance with their habits is, however, extremely imperfect, and few of 

 them have been brought alive to Europe, since, like their cousins the langurs, they 

 are delicate, and do not thrive well in confinement. The sacculated stomach 

 indicates that their food, like that of the langurs, is in all probability largely com- 

 posed of leaves and twigs. If, however, their habits at all resemble those of the 

 group last mentioned, it is not easy to see why they should have lost their thumbs, 

 unless, indeed, the small thumbs of their Indian cousins are practically useless. 



In addition to being strictly African, all the thumbless monkeys, with one 

 exception, appear to be confined to the west coast, where they must be very 

 abundantly represented. Most of them are remarkable for the length and beauty 

 of the silky hairs with which their bodies are clothed ; their fur being largely im- 

 ported into Europe for use as trimming for other furs and various kinds of 

 apparel. 



Our imperfect acquaintance with this group in their native haunts must be 

 largely attributed to the neglect with which travelers and sportsmen treat monkeys 

 and baboons. In every book of travel or sport we are sure to find chapter after 

 chapter devoted to the hoofed Mammals and the carnivores, but very seldom 

 is there a word about monkeys. We have no desire to place any check on the 

 continuous flow of information relating to any of the animals, but we venture to 

 put in a plea that at least some attention may be devoted to these when opportunity 

 offers. 



Before noticing some of the species of this group it may be mentioned that the 

 hair of all the thumbless monkeys is colored uniformly, and by this character even 

 a small piece of their fur may be distinguished from that of all other African, 

 monkeys, in which each individual hair is ringed with different hues. 



THE GUEREZA (Colobus guereza) 



We commence our account of the thumbless monkeys with this strikingly 

 handsome animal, which differs so much in external appearance from the other 

 members of the group that it was referred by Dr. Gray to a distinct genus. 



It is commonly reported to inhabit Abyssinia, but Mr. Blanford, who accom- 

 panied the Abyssinian Expedition under Lord Napier of Magdala, states that he 

 never heard of the animal in the part of the country traversed by the army, and 

 that the skins which are often offered for sale to travelers at Aden are really 

 brought from the mountains in the interior of Somaliland. As, however, Somali- 

 land and Abyssinia are contiguous, it is highly probable that it may be found on 

 the eastern borders of the .former ; and that it is found in Central Abyssinia in 



