THE LAR GIBBON. 



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tints. The gorilla, chimpanzee, and the orangs, are entirely destitute of these peculi- 

 arities, but the Gibbons are found to possess them, although the callosities are very 

 small, and hidden by the fur from a casual view. 



As in the great apes, the arms of the Gibbons are of enormous length, and endowed 

 with exceeding power of muscle, though the strength which resides in these largely 

 developed limbs is of a different character. 



If the gigantic and powerful gorilla be compared to Hercules, then the light and 

 active Gibbons may find the type in Mercury, the swift aerial messenger of the Olym- 

 pian deities. The ponderous weight of the larger apes binds them to earth ; and even 

 the orangs, which are more active than the chimpanzee, are no very great adepts at 

 leaping through great intervals of space. But the Gibbons seem to pass nearly as much 

 time in the air as on the branches, shooting from one resting-place to another, with 

 such rapid movements, that the eye can hardly follow their course the very swallows 

 of the monkey race. 



THE LAR GIBBON. -//x/oftates Lar. 



From their wonderful agility in flinging themselves from branch to branch, or from 

 tree to tree, naturalists have given to these animals the generic name of hylobates^ 

 signifying, "tree traverser." And carrying out the mythological comparison which has 

 just been mentioned, the name Lar has been attributed to this species. 



According to the legends of antiquity, it appears that a very beautiful and very 

 loquacious Naiad, named Lara, indiscreetly acquainted Juno with one of the many 

 causes for jealousy for which her husband gave occasion. Jupiter, being greatly in- 

 censed at her conduct, deprived her of the offending tongue, and sent her off to Hades 

 under the charge of Mercury. That faithless messenger, however, found that pity melted 

 the heart to love, and instead of obeying the order of his master, became enamored 

 of the beautiful criminal, saved her from the punishment to which she had been 

 destined, and married her instead of delivering her to Pluto. 



From this union sprang the Lares, twin demigods, who took on themselves the 

 guardianship of domestic hearths, and the peace of families. The Romans symbolized 

 these protecting deities under the form of monkeys clothed with the skins of dogs, and 

 placed their images around the hearths which they protected, and behind the doors 

 which they guarded from evil. 



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