Chap. 80.] APES. 347 



only animals that have the hair the contrary way, the points 

 being turned towards the head. There are the dama also, 22 

 the pygargus, 23 and the strepsiceros, 24 besides many others 

 which strongly resemble them. The first mentioned of these 

 animals, 25 however, dwell in the Alps ; all the others are sent 

 to us from the parts beyond sea. 



CHAP. 80. (54.) APES. 



The different kinds of apes, which approach the nearest to 

 the human figure, are distinguished from each other by the 

 tail. 26 Their shrewdness is quite wonderful. It is said that, 

 imitating the hunters, they will besmear themselves with 

 bird-lime, and put their feet into the shoes, which, as so many 

 snares, have been prepared for them. 27 Mucianus says, that 

 they have even played at chess, having, by practice, learned 

 to distinguish the different pieces, which are made of wax. 28 



22 Cuvier remarks, that there is some douht respecting the dama of 

 Pliny; he is, however, disposed to regard it as a species of antelope. 

 Ajasson, vol. vi. p. 464, 465 ; Lemaire, vol. iii. p. 554. B. 



!3 The term pygargus is derived from the words nvytj apybsy denoting 

 " white buttocks." Probably a kind of gazelle. 



24 " With twisted horns." It is probable that Pliny intended to desig- 

 nate a species of antelope, B. See B. xi. c. 45. 



25 In this division Pliny, probably, included what he has termed the 

 " capraea," the rupicapra, and the ibex. B. 



26 Some of these animals are entirely without a tail, and this circum- 

 stance has been employed to form the primary division of the simiee into 

 the two species, those with and those without tails. We have an epi- 

 gram of Martial, in which this is referred to. " Si mihi cauda foret, 

 cercopithecus eram" " If I had but a tail, I should be a monkey," B. 

 iv. Ep. 102. B. See B. xi. c. 100. 



2 7 We learn from Strabo, Ind. Hist. B. xv., that, in catching the monkey, 

 the hunters took advantage of the propensity of these animals to imitate 

 any action they see performed. " Two modes," he says, " are employed in 

 taking this animal, as by nature it is taught to imitate every action, and to 

 take to flight by climbing up trees. The hunters, when they see an ape 

 sitting on a tree, place within sight of it a dish full of water, with which 

 they rub their eyes ; and then, slyly substituting another in its place, full of 

 bird-lime, retire and keep upon the watch. The animal comes down from 

 the tree, and rubs its eyes with the bird-lime, in consequence of which the 

 eyelids stick together, and it is unable to escape." jElian also says, Hist. 

 Anim. B. xvii. c. 25, that the hunters pretend to put on their shoes, and 

 then substitute, in their place, shoes of lead ; the animal attempts to imitate 

 them, and. the shoes being so contrived, when it has once got them on, it 

 finds itself unable to take them off, or to move, and is consequently taken. 



28 There has been some difficulty in ascertaining the exact reading here ; 



