THE BUNDER 



(Mcucuus rhesus) 



THE common Brown Monkey of India is one of the most abundant of its 

 tribe, ranging in the wild state from Chitral to China, and being an 

 abundant species all over Northern India, though below Bombay and the 

 Godavery River it is replaced by the allied Bonnet Monkey (Macacus 

 sinicns), a long-tailed species with the hair of the crown radiating, not 

 regularly inclined backwards. 



The common Rhesus varies a good deal in length of tail, which 

 is, however, never much more than half as long as the rest of the 

 animal ; there is also some variation in form, certain individuals being 

 stouter built than others, while the brown fur may be more or less 

 richly tinted ; in any case it is generally inclined to tawny in the hind- 

 quarters. Some individuals are very red about the face and hinder- 

 parts, which have a considerable naked area around the callosities on 

 which the animal sits. The cheek-pouches are also large, these points 

 being characteristic of the Macaque group as a whole. 



In size the Bunder, when adult, about equals a big terrier, the 

 males being stouter and more powerful than their mates, and with a 

 bolder and more virile type of feature. Young ones are coloured much 

 like their parents, but have the most comical little wizened faces ; they 

 cling to the fur of the parent's chest for about a fortnight, but then 

 begin to venture abroad under her supervision, which is certainly 

 needed, as in India at all events it would be difficult to find a spot 

 on which some bird of prey or other had not fixed its eye, to say 

 nothing of enemies without wings, in the shape of Leopards, wild 

 Cats, Snakes, and so forth. Possibly Crocodiles account for some of 

 them, as these monkeys are rather fond of water, and some young 



individuals allowed to go free in the Calcutta Zoo have been observed 



D 



