30 LONG-ARMED AND BARBARY APES. 



sophers invented ; and the Indians, taking advantage of 

 the credulity of the ignorant, sometimes embalmed this 

 species of ape, and sold them as real pigmies. 



LONG-ARMED APE. 



To this extraordinary creature, Buffon gives the appel- 

 lation of the gibbon. In its general conformation and 

 attitudes, it bears a striking resemblance to the Ourang 

 Outang, but the extreme length of its arms distinguishes 

 it from all others of its tribe. There are several varieties 

 of this species, found on the coast of Coromandel, in 

 Malacca, China, the Moluccas, and other Oriental islands. 

 In that curious and valuable collection of natural curiosi- 

 ties, the Leverian Museum, now unfortunately dispersed, 

 was a specimen of this animal, in excellent preservation, 

 three feet high, covered with a long soft hair, and having 

 hands that reach entirely to the ground. 



BARBARY APE. 



BufFon distinguishes this species by the name of the 

 tnagot. It seems to connect the ape family with the 

 baboons : having a small protuberance on its rump re- 

 sembling the rudiments of a tail ; while the face is pecu- 

 liarly prominent, and resembles that of a quadruped rather 

 than of a man. The body is covered with a dull greenish 

 hair, inclining to brown ; the belly with a pale yellow. 

 It has, however, flat nails, ears like the human, and bare 

 posteriors. It commonly grows to the height of four feet ; 

 and is a native of India, Arabia, and the whole continent 

 of Africa, except Egypt. 



In proportion as apes recede from the human figure, 

 they become more dull, vicious, and untractabie. This 

 species is frequently exhibited in Europe ; where it is 

 taught to perform a number of tricks, and acquires, from 

 the impulse of fear, a degree of docility : but in its native 

 haunts it is unamiable in all its manners ; frequently as- 

 sembling in troops, and robbing the women going to 

 market of their baskets of provisions. 



