THE SILVERY GIBBON. 37 



erect, permitting the arms to hang freely by his sides, finds that the tips of his fingers 

 reach to the middle of the thigh. But when the Gibbon assumes the erect attitude, its 

 finger-tips reach as far as the ankle-joint. Again, if a well-proportioned man stands 

 perfectly erect, and stretches his arms out in a horizontal direction, the distance be- 

 tween the extended finger-tips is as nearly as possible equal to the height of the body, 

 measured from the top of the head to the ground. But if the Agile Gibbon extends its 

 limbs in a similar manner, the measurement between the fingers is just double that 

 of the entire height of the animal. 



On account of this great preponderance of the arms over the legs, the Agile Gibbon 

 is not a very good walker on its hinder feet, but waddles along in an awkward fashion. 

 While thus employed, the animal sways its long arms as balancers after the fashion 

 of a rope-dancer, and now and then helps itself along the level surface with the hands 

 on the ground. The Gibbon, though so marvellously light and active among trees, is 

 totally out of its element when it is deprived of the branches, and forced to traverse 

 the flat ground. All its elegance a.id exquisite address are lost, and the creature be- 

 comes as clumsy as it was formerly graceful. A swan while awkwardly hobbling over 

 dry land, with a gait like that of a lame Silenus, affords no greater contrast to the same 

 bird when proudly sailing on the water with arched neck and gliding movement, than 

 does the Gibbon when stranded on unfamiliar earth to the same animal disporting itself 

 among the congenial branches. 



This species does not appear to love society as much as do many of the apes and 

 monkeys, but lives in pairs, contented with the society of its own family. 



The voice of this ape is of a very peculiar character, and its powers are put forth 

 with the greatest intensity while the animal is performing its wonderful feats of agility. 

 The time of day seems to have some influence upon the creature and its cry, for in its 

 native state the Gibbon is most noisy in the early mornings, the loud, strange cry 

 being probably a call-note to its companions. Even in the open air, this call-note is 

 exceedingly loud, and can be heard at great distances, so that when the animal is 

 confined in a room, and exerts its voice, the ears of the bystanders suffer somewhat 

 from its deafening resonance. 



In themselves, the notes of this curious cry are rather musical than otherwise, but 

 they are uttered with such vigor, that they become painful to the ears. 



To judge by the cry of the female Gibbon, it is quite a musical performance, capable 

 of being set to musical notes, and coming to an abrupt conclusion, by a couple of barks 

 in octaves. The animal achieves the chromatic scale admirably, effecting the descent 

 (no easy task even to the practised human vocalist) with a precision and rapidity that 

 renders the vocal gymnastics as remarkable as those of the limbs. The note on which 

 the creature began was E ; and starting from this note, she began a series of chromatics, 

 first ascending to the upper octave, and then descending in the same way, but always 

 sounding the lower E almost simultaneously with the upper note, whatever that note 

 might be. These musical efforts seemed to excite the creature greatly, for her whole 

 frame appeared strung to a pitch of great intensity, her body dilated and quivered with 

 excitement while she uttered her rapid cry, and at its conclusion she shook with all her 

 strength the object to which she was clinging. 



This individual was pleasing in manners, gentle and caressing to those whom 

 she favored. With delicate discrimination, she at once admitted ladies into her 

 confidence, and would come to them voluntarily, shake hands, and permit herself 

 to be stroked. But when gentlemen tried to gain her affection, she deliberated on 

 the matter, and did not allow of a nearer acquaintance without further investigation. 

 But when her scruples were once overcome, she was perfectly affectionate and 

 confiding. 



The SILVERY GIBBON derives its name from the silver-gray color which generally 

 pervades the fur. In some parts of the body, however, there is a browner tinge, and the 

 face and palms of the hands are quite black. The sides of the face are covered with 

 white, furry hair, which is so plentiful, that although the ears are tolerably large, they are 

 nearly hidden amongthe luxuriant hairy fringe that encircles the head. The eyes of this 

 and of the other Gibbons are deeply sunk in the head. The sizejof the Silvery Gibbon is 



