OUR FOUR-HANDED RELATIVES. 2 \ 



A similar analogy surprises the observer of certain 

 gestures and tricks that distinguish our four-handed 

 cousins from all lower animals. It is an innate habit of 

 the Siamese gibbon to screen his eyes with the palm of 

 his hand when looking at some distant object. Children 

 in such an attitude often lean forward, and so does the 

 gibbon, — as if a difference of three or four inches would 

 avail him at a distance of a mile. Monkeys never grin 

 without a twinkling movement of their eyelids. That 

 might be caused by an interaction of the facial muscles ; 

 but what makes them avert their eyes if they pout, and 

 stretch out their open hands if they surrender at dis- 

 cretion ? Or why does the Rhesus monkey clutch his 

 ears when he expects a hard blow ? Does instinct teach 

 him what his science has taught the anatomist, — viz., 

 that the zygomatic arch is the weakest part of the skull ? 

 Or is it a result of educational influences, since the 

 female of the same species is very apt to enforce her 

 maternal authority by striking arguments ? Peculiari- 

 ties of structure may partly account for the singular 

 tricks of certain species of monkeys. One of my ac- 

 quaintances has caged a spaniel with a little long-fingered 

 macaque, and at meal-times the monkey often resorts 

 to a favorite stratagem of small boys in their scuffles 

 with a bigger playmate, by looking sideways and keep- 

 ing his hand rather out of sight when he is going to 

 make a sudden grab. The dog knows that trick, and is 

 all suspicion ; but his twenty sharp teeth cannot compete 



