THE GIBBONS. 15 



dreamy indolence on the platform which it weaves, and averse to mov- 

 ing unless impelled by hunger, anger, or some motive equally powerful. 

 When it does move, it passes with much rapidity from tree to tree, or 

 from one branch to another, by means of its long limbs, and launches 

 itself through a considerable distance, if the space between the branches 

 be too great for its reach of arm. 



The hair of the Orang-outan is of a reddish chestnut hue, deepening 

 here and there into brown. The texture of the hair is coarse, and its 

 length varies according to the part of the body on which it is placed. 

 Over the face, back, breast, shoulders, and arms, it falls in thick profu- 

 sion, becoming especially long at the elbow-joint, where the hairs of the 

 upper and fore-arm meet. The face is partly covered with a beard, 

 which seems to increase in size as the animal grows older. The hair 

 of the face takes a lighter tinge of red than that of the body, and 

 merges the red or auburn tint in the brown on the inside of the 

 limbs. 



At a little distance the face appears to be black, but if examined 

 closely is found to present a bluish tint. 



THE GIBBONS. 



The Gibbons possess, although in a small degree, those singular cal- 

 losities on the hinder quarters which are so conspicuous in the baboon 

 family, and assume such strange tints. The Gorilla, Chimpansee, and 

 the Orangs are entirely destitute of these peculiarities, but the Gibbons 

 are found to possess them, although the callosities are very small, and 

 hidden by the fur from a casual view. 



As in the great apes, the arms of the Gibbons are of enormous length 

 and endowed with exceeding power of muscle, though the strength which 

 resides in these largely-developed limbs is of a different character. 



All the Gibbons are gifted with voices as powerful as their limbs, and 

 the creatures seem to lose few opportunities of exercising lungs or limbs. 

 The cry which these animals utter is a singular one, loud and piercing, 

 and has been represented by the syllables " wou-wou," which duplex 

 combination of intonations is often used as a general name common to 

 the whole family. Some writers express the sound by the words " oa- 

 oa," and others by " woo-woo," between which the reader is left to choose. 



Of the habits of the Gibbons in a wild state very little is known, as 

 they are shy in their nature, and by means of their wonderful agility 

 escape among the trees in a manner that baffles pursuit or observation. 

 As to the species which is represented in the accompanying engraving, 

 it seems to be the most active of this agile family, and well deserves the 

 name that has been given to it. Rather more has been noticed of this 

 wonderful creature, and a further insight into its habits has been gained, 



