QUADRUPEDS. 295 



Holland, or the most distant islands of the Indian Ocean, 

 are annually receiving so much new and correct illustration, 

 the most remarkable species of the brute creation, inhabit- 

 ing a comparatively neighbouring country, should have 

 remained for about 2000 years under the shade of an almost 

 fabulous name, and that the "wild man of the woods" 

 should express all we yet really know of the African orang- 

 outang in the adult state. . 



Africa produces many other species of the monkey tribe. 

 The promontory most familiar to the Mediterranean voy- 

 ager, called Apes' Mountain, not far from the opposing point 

 of Gibraltar, is so called from the occurrence of these ani- 

 mals ; and the rock of the last-named fortress is itself the 

 only strong-hold which they possess in Europe. They do 

 not, however, occur in desert countries, commonly so called ; 

 that is, the open sandy plains of Africa are altogether un- 

 fitted for the dwellings of these pigmy people. Apes of 

 all kinds are a sylvan race. Their structure being such as 

 to render them unfit for the exercise of rapid movements, 

 either on all-fours or in an upright position, the inclined and 

 densely intermingled branches of trees are their favourite 

 pl«ces of resort. Their feet in climbing being equally use- 

 ful with their hands, great additional power and activity are 

 thus derived. Among the shady and otherwise unpeopled 

 arbours which skirt the banks of the yet mysterious rivers 

 of Africa, they dwell in single pairs or in congregated 

 troops, according to the instincts of each particular kind ; 

 and seated on the tops of ancient trees, or swinging from 

 pendant boughs, they play their fantastic tricks, secure alike 

 from the wily serpent during the day, and the panther 

 which prowls by night. 



The pigmy of the ancients is a small Ethiopian species, 

 resembling the Barbary ape, but smaller in size, not much 

 exceeding the dimensions of a cat. Its tribes were for- 

 merly alleged at certain seasons to wage a bloody war with 

 cranes. 



The callithrix, or green monkey {Simia Sahaa\ is not 

 unfrequently exhibited in menageries, where, however, its 

 beautiful colour usually fades into a dingy olive. It occurs 

 in various parts of Africa, both along the western and eastern 

 shores. The name of callithrix, which signifies beautifu! 

 hair, was employed by Homer to denote the more ornamental 



