THE PROBOSCIS MONKEY. 4, 



infirm companion to perish from hunger and thirst, or the more merciful claws of the 

 wild beasts, will be outraged in their feelings because a monkey has been wounded. 



The hunters in India find these animals to be useful auxiliaries in some cases, though 

 tiresome in the main. They collect on boughs when a tiger or similar animal of prey 

 passes under them, and often serve to point out to the hunter the whereabouts of the 

 quarry. A tree thus covered with monkeys is a curious sight ; for the boughs are studded 

 with them as thickly as fruit, and the pendent tails give an absurd appearance to the group. 



Although each part of every animal must be formed with some definite object, there 

 are many which seem to be devoid of use, and among them is the monkey's tail. 



Some of the monkeys the spider-monkeys of America, for example find in their 

 tail a most useful member, by means of which they can suspend themselves from 

 boughs, aid their limbs in tree-climbing, or, on an emergency, pick an object out of a 

 crevice which the hand could not enter. But the use of the tails belonging to these 

 old-world monkeys does seem to be very obscure. 



Some writers have opined that the tails are intended to balance the body in the 

 various attitudes assumed by its owner. But when we reply that the Gibbons, although 

 very much more agile, and, from their very form, requiring more balancing than the 

 monkeys, yet are totally devoid of tails, this supposition fails to the ground. It can- 

 not be for the purpose of flapping away flies that these animals are furnished with such long 

 and slender tails, for their shape renders them useless for that occupation ; and, besides 

 the hands of the monkey are much better fly-flappers than its tail could possibly be. 



The question arises, " What does the monkey do with his tail ? " 



He nibbles it sometimes, when he is at a loss for occupation. 



It is a curious fact that at all events in captivity the long-tailed monkeys Z/z7/eat 

 their tails, and nothing seems to deter them from this strange act. The tips of those 

 members have been covered with plasters, and have been tied up in bandages, but without 

 effect. The ends of the tails have been treated with aloes, cayenne pepper, and other 

 disagreeable substances, just as the finger-tips of a nail-biting child are dressed. But, 

 though the creature splutters and makes strange grimaces at the horrid flavors that greet 

 his palate, he cannot refrain from the accustomed luxury, and perseveres in his nibbling. 

 One great charm of this habit seems to be the excitement felt by the monkey in trying 

 how far he can nibble without smarting for it. Whatever may be the cause, the effect is 

 that the tail is gradually eaten up, in spite of all endeavors to prevent such a consum- 

 mation. Considered in a social light, the tails are calculated to promote the merriment 

 of the company, for they are admirable handles for practical jokes, and afford mutual 

 amusement, not unmingled with indignation. 



The PROBOSCIS MONKEY, or KAHAU, as it is some- 

 times called, on account of its cry bearing some re- 

 semblance to that word, is an inhabitant of Borneo, 

 and probably of several neighboring countries. It is, 

 as may be seen by the engraving, an animal of very 

 unattractive features, principally on account of its 

 enormously lengthened nose. This feature does not 

 present itself in perfection until the Kahau has reached 

 its maturity. When the animal is very young, there 

 are but few indications of the singular length to which 

 this feature will attain ; for, although it is rather more 

 prominent than in most of the monkeys, it is rather of 

 that description of nose denominated " retrousse" 



In size, the Kahau is about equal to the hoonuman, 

 and seems to be an active animal, leaping from branch 

 to branch, through distances of fifteen feet or more. RAH AU. -Presses Larvatus. 

 The natives assert, that while leaping they take their 



noses in their hands, in order to guard that feature from being damaged by contact 

 with branches. Whether this refinement of caution be true or not, it is certain that 

 they do hold their outstretched hands in a manner unlike that of the generality of 

 monkeys, and probably for the purpose just mentioned. 



