CLASS I. MAMMALIA: ORDER 2. QUADRUMANA 





-. 



I 



EXTELIXS, OR SACRED MONKEY. 



are supposed to exhibit less intelligence ; though their mental qualities, as well as their physical 

 structure, closely assimilate them to the real apes. The old males become morose, sullen, and 

 mischievous. 



The Entellus, Hoonuman, or Sacred Monkey, S. entellus, the type of the genus, is of a rusty- 

 brown color, the head and body being over two feet in length. It is a native of Bengal, the 

 Himalayan Mountains, Nepaul, and Bootan, and is remarkably interwoven with the religion of the 

 countries where it is found, especially among the Hindoos. These people believe that the entellus 

 is a metamorphosed prince, and to kill one is a deadly sin. As might be expected, this treatment 

 has been favorable to the increase of these creatures, and hence they absolutely swarm in many 

 places, and especially in the vicinity of the temples. In some parts they are a complete pest, as 

 they destroy vast quantities of fruit in the gardens and plantations. M. Duvaucel has given an 

 interesting account of the careful watch which the Bengalese kept over him to prevent his killing 

 this sacred animal, holding a high place among the thirty millions of Indian gods, and to save 

 himself from dying within the year, which, according to popular belief, is sure to be the fate of 

 one who puts an entellus monkey to death. He was harangued by the Hindoos upon the danger 

 of injuring animals which were no other than princes and heroes under the operation of the me- 

 tempsychosis. Unmoved by their eloquence, and eager to possess, a specimen, he leveled and 

 brought down a " princess !" But the acquisition was dearly bought. The ill-fated creature had 

 a young one on her back, and, though shot through the heart, the mother exhausted her remains 

 of life in throwing it into the branches of a neighboring tree, then fell and expired at the feet of 

 her destroyer. It is but just to add, that he mourned over the deed he had done. 



The following account from a late traveler in India will give some idea of the immense num- 

 bers, as well as the habits of these " sacred monkeys :" 



" On another occasion," says the narrator, " in company with the assistant magistrate of the 

 district, I started in a buggy for a morning's drive to Deobund, from which we were some twelve 

 miles distant. We were attended by two sowars- — native horsemen, or mounted police — and 

 having a swift mare, we got over the ground at a rapid pace. "When about two miles from the 

 bungalow, we overtook a tribe of larjre monkevs. I should say there were as nianv as four hun- 

 dred, and each carried a stick of uniform length and shape. They moved along in ranks or com- 

 panies — just, in short, as though they were imitating a wing of a regiment of infantry. At the 

 head of- the tribe was an old and very powerful monkev, who was no doubt the chief. It was a 

 •very odd sight, and I became greatly interested in the movements of these creatures. There could 



