MTTIiE CEBlDflE 



NEXT to man, in descending the scale of animal life, 

 . come the Quadrumana, or Four-handed Animals. 

 They are represented by the Apes, Baboons, Monkeys and 

 Lemurs. Excepting the last, and a few other species, these 

 animals are not very pleasing in aspect or habits, some of 

 them, the larger apes and baboons, being positively disgust- 

 ing. The air of grotesque humanity that characterizes them 

 is horribly suggestive of human idiocy, and we approach an 

 imprisoned gorilla or baboon with much the same repug- 

 nance that we do a debased and brutal maniac. This aver- 

 sion seems not to be produced so much by the resemblance 

 that the ape bears to man, as by the horror felt lest man 

 should degenerate to the condition, character and physiog- 

 nomy of the ape. But to the naturalist, who sees wonder or 

 beauty in all things animate, these creatures are no less pleas- 

 ing than others that are not so repugnant. 



Were we to take a survey of the varied forms which the 

 Quadrumana of the Old World assume, we would find that 

 the forms would show such diversification that there would 

 hardly seem scope for further modifications. Yet the pro- 

 lific power of nature is so inexhaustible, that the depth of our 

 researches would only bring to light objects of such infinite 

 variety of form as to overwhelm the mind with surprise and 

 admiration. Thus it would be found to be with the Cebidae, 

 or American Monkeys. While they would be shown to 

 possess the chief characteristics of the monkey nature, thus 

 establishing their close relationship with the Old World 

 monkeys, yet they would be seen to exhibit the strangest 



