162 FAMILY SIMIAD^E. INDIAN AND AFRICAN MONKEYS. 



the slaughter of a Monkey. Thus cherished and protected, the 

 Entellus abounds over almost every part of India, enters the 

 houses and gardens of the natives at will, and plunders them of 

 fruit and eatables without molestation. The visit is even consi- 

 dered an honour ; and the Indian peasant would consider it an 

 act of the greatest sacrilege to disturb or drive them away." 

 They generally take up their residence in the groves which the 

 natives plant round their villages ; and the celebrated banyan- 

 tree, named Cubbeer-bur, which forms a grove in itself (YEGET. 

 PHYSIOL. 152), is the residence of a numerous colony of them. 

 They are often allowed to occupy the roofs of the houses ; and 

 may be not unfrequently seen perched with much gravity at the 

 open verandas, observing the passing crowd. To this genus, also, 

 belong the Kahau, or Proboscis Monkey (Semnopithecus larvatus), 

 a native of Borneo and Cochin- China, which is remarkable for 

 the extraordinary development of its nose ; and the Douc, or 

 Cochin-China Monkey (S. nemeus), which is distinguished by 

 the singular variety and brilliancy of its colours, giving it an 

 appearance as if it were clothed with a suit of garments of dif- 

 ferent materials. There are other species of Semnopithecus, 

 which also inhabit India and the Malay Archipelago ; and it is 

 curious to notice, that all the Monkeys of these regions should 

 be of a kind that most nearly resembles the Apes, which are all 

 but exclusively confined to it. 



152. The continent of Africa, however, may be regarded as 

 the head-quarters of the Monkey tribe ; for no other portion of 

 the earth swarms with these animals to such a degree as its 

 western coasts, their number being due, not only to the multi- 

 plication of individuals, but to the great variety of species which 

 are spread over the face of the country. Between twenty and 

 thirty different kinds are known to inhabit the west coast alone ; 

 and it is probable that, if we Were equally acquainted with the 

 interior and eastern coast, we should be able to reckon up at least 

 a hundred. It is believed that each of the different species is re- 

 stricted to a small extent of country ; and it is said that they 

 live in large troops, each of which has its own domain, violently 



