I THE GIBBONS 43 



"The following facts will convey some notion of her 

 dexterity and quickness. A live bird was let loose in her 

 apartment ; she marked its flight, made a long swing to a 

 distant branch, caught the bird with one hand in her passage, 

 and attained the branch with her other hand ; her aim, both 

 at the bird and at the branch, being as successful as if one 

 object only had engaged her attention. It may be added that 

 she instantly bit off the head of the bird, picked its feathers, 

 and then threw it down without attempting to eat it. 



" On another occasion this animal swung herself from a 

 perch, across a passage at least twelve feet wide, against a 

 "window which it was thought would be immediately broken : 

 but not so ; to the surprise of all, she caught the narrow 

 framework between the panes with her hand, in an instant 

 attained the proper impetus, and sprang back again to the 

 cage she had left a feat requiring not only great strength, 

 but the nicest precision." 



The Gibbons appear to be naturally very gentle, 

 but there is very good evidence that they will bite 

 severely when irritated a female Hylolates agilis 

 having so severely lacerated one man with her 

 long canines, that he died ; while she had injured 

 others so much that, by way of precaution, these 

 formidable teeth had been filed down ; but, if 

 threatened, she would still turn on her keeper 

 The Gibbons eat insects, but appear generally to 

 avoid animal food. A Siamang, however, was seen 

 by Mr. Bennett to seize and devour greedily a live 

 lizard. They commonly drink by dipping their 

 fingers in the liquid and then licking them. It is 

 asserted that they sleep in a sitting posture. 



Duvaucel affirms that he has seen the females 

 carry their young to the waterside and there wash 



