SIM1AD.E. 419 



swing themselves forward, with admirable facility, seizing, in their rapid 

 launch, the branch at which they aimed ; they throw themselves from a 

 higher to a lower perch with consummate address, and again ascend to 

 the loftiest with bird-like rapidity. In all these movements, their long 

 arms are of the utmost advantage; and it is to these, rather than the 

 lower extremities, that they trust, in all their feats of agility, and in all 

 their arboreal evolutions. In their ordinary mode of arboreal progression, 

 they launch themselves from bough to bough, swinging, by the hands, from 

 ench in succession, without calling the feet into play, until they choose to 

 rest, when, by a quick, abrupt movement, they draw the body up, seize 

 the branch with their feet, and rest on the callosities. Still, there is much 

 in the economy of these animals which is imperfectly known. 



M. Duvaucel (see Hist. Nat. des Mamm. by M. Fred. Cuvier) states, 

 that the Siamang is gregarious, and that each troop is conducted by a chief, 

 whom the Malays believe to be invulnerable. They salute the rising and 

 the setting sun with the most terrific cries, which may be heard at the 

 distance of several miles ; and which, when near, stun, if they do not 

 frighten. This is the morning call of the mountain Malays ; but to the 

 inhabitants of the towns, visiting the country, it is an insupportable 

 annoyance. During the daytime, however, by way of amends, they 

 preserve a profound silence, unless disturbed in their sleep or repose. 

 They are, farthermore, stated, by the same authority, to be extremely 

 vigilant, and to possess a most acute sense of hearing ; but to want courage, 

 activity, address, and intelligence. The latter part of this account is 

 somewhat questionable, seeing that it is contradicted by other parts of the 

 statement; which, besides attributing to them habits of vigilance, repre- 

 sents the maternal care and solicitude of the females for their offspring as 

 " so tender and refined, that one would be almost tempted to attribute the 

 sentiment to a rational rather than to an instinctive process." Moreover, 

 Mr. George Bennett (see Wanderings in New South Wales, &c. vol. ii. p. 

 142, et seq. London: 1834) describes a Siamang (H. syndactylus), which 

 he possessed, as exciting the astonishment and admiration of the crew, by 

 his extraordinary agility. His intelligence was no less remarkable than 

 his activity ; and his playfulness and merry antics rendered him the 

 universal favourite of the ship's company. 



Sir T. S. Raffles, in his account of the Siamang, states it to be bold 

 and powerful, but docile and affectionate. Gentleness, intelligence, and 

 docility may be regarded, indeed, as characteristic of the Gibbons generally. 

 Most appear to live in troops, or families ; the Ungka-puti is said 

 to live in isolated couples ; and to be so active as to escape, with the 

 rapidity of a bird upon the wing, from danger ; taking leaps, or, rather, 

 swings, of forty feet and upwards among the branches. Excepting the 

 Siamang, which, according to SirT. S. Raffles, is bold and powerful, the 



