426 QUADRUMANA. 



distinctness was pointed out by M. Geoffroy, who, in compliment to Sir 

 T. S. Raffles, termed it H. Rafflesii ; and under this title it appears in 

 the Natural History of Monkeys, Lemurs, and Opossums, by Mr. Ogilby ; 

 part i. p. 172. More recent observations, however, tend to prove that 

 this title cannot be sustained, and that the Ungka-etam is only a dark 

 variety of the Ungka-puti. 



M. Miiller, whose opportunities of investigating the characters of 

 the Gibbons, in their native regions, were almost unlimited, and whose 

 judgment is entitled to our confidence, distinctly and positively asserts 

 their identity ; though he gives to them the specific title of Hylobates 

 variegatus, under the impression (also entertained by other naturalists) 

 that they are both referable to the Petit Gibbon of Buffon (Hist. Nat. 

 xiv.), which is the Hylobates variegatus of Kuhl. The H. variegatus, 

 however, as will be* more fully stated (see H. Lar.), is really a young 

 and pale variety of the H. Lar. " Of the five distinct species," ob^ 

 serves Miiller, " known at this moment, four inhabit the occidental 

 regions of the .Indian Archipelago, where each species is limited to its 

 exclusive island : thus, we have only found H. syndactylus and H. 

 variegatus (H. agilis) in Sumatra ; but, if it be possible to believe what is 

 said by other authors, the H. variegatus inhabits also Malacca : but that 

 requires confirmation. The H. leuciscus is found only in Java ; and H. 

 concolor, in Borneo." His observation, " the H. variegatus should be 

 found in Malacca," shews, at once, that he confounded his species with 

 one totally distinct. This, then, on reading the following valuable note, 

 must be borne in mind : " The H. agilis of F. Cuvier, and H. Rafflesii 

 of GeofFroy, are, undoubtedly, synonyms of H. variegatus of Kuhl ; and 

 most of the descriptions lately given of H. Lar have relation to the 

 black variety of this species ; being the Oengko-itam of the Malays, 

 which Sir. T. S. Raffles has erroneously taken for the Lar of Gmelin. 

 The proper Lar, or Great Gibbon, of Buffon (S. longimana, Schreber), 

 has been, on the other hand, described by Messrs. Vigors and Horse- 

 field under a new name, S. albimana. The last-named species (S. 

 longimana) is only observed on the continent of India, in the neighbour- 

 hood of Malacca and Siam, where it appears to be common." 



In reference to the colour of the agile Gibbon, the author already 

 quoted states, that it is curious to observe its numerous variations. " Two 



regards the Ungka-puti as indentical with the Petit Gibbon of Buffon, the H. variegatus of Desmarest. 

 This is certainly not the case. Whether the Petit Gibbon, or Hylobates, be separable or not from the 

 H. Lar, is another question : at all events, it is distinct from H. agilis. 



The term, Wou-wou, which is of general rather than specific import, has been given by Cam- 

 per, in a restricted sense, to a Gibbon described by himself, the H. leuciscus; but F. Cuvier has 

 applied the same term to the present species (H. agilis), on the authority of M. Duvaucel, as being 

 its native name; considering it identical with the animal described by Camper. With regard to 

 the term, Wou-wou, it would be better to drop it altogether : it is a word of common, and not specific, 

 import. 



