82 THE SCAFFOLDING LEFT IN THE BODY. 



I made a short ladder of three or four rounds, on 

 which I put it to hang for a quarter of an hour at a 

 time. At first it seemed much pleased, but it could 

 not get all four hands in a comfortable position, and, 

 after changing about several times, would leave hold 

 of one hand after the other and drop on to the floor. 

 Sometimes when hanging only by two hands, it would 

 loose one, and cross it to the opposite shoulder, grasp- 

 ing its own hair ; and, as this seemed much more 

 agreeable than the stick, it would then loose the other 

 and tumble down, when it would cross both and lie 

 on its back quite contentedly, never seeming to be 

 hurt by its numerous tumbles. Finding it so fond 

 of hair, I endeavored to make an artificial mother, by 

 wrapping up a piece of buffalo-skin into a bundle, and 

 suspending it about a foot from the floor. At first 

 this seemed to suit it admirably, as it could sprawl 

 its legs about and always find some hair, which it 

 grasped with the greatest tenacity." ^ 



Whatever the value of these facts as evidence, they 

 form an interesting if slight introduction to the part 

 of the subject that lies before us. For we have now 

 to explore the Body itself for actual betrayals — not 

 mere external movements which might have come as 

 well from early Man as from later animal ; but ver- 

 itable physical survivals, the material scaffolding 

 itself — of the animal past. And the facts here are as 

 numerous and as easily grasped as they are authentic. 

 As the traveller, wandering in foreign lands, brings 

 back all manner of curios to remind him where he has 

 been — clubs and spears, clothes and pottery, which 



1 Malay Archipelago^ 53-5. 



