80 THE CINGALESE MONKEIT. 



like a little army, with their young ones at their 

 backs, not unlike small knapsacks. Their manner 

 of travelling is this : the foremost walks to the ex- 

 tremity of a bough, from which it bounds to the 

 extremity of one belonging to the next tree, often 

 at a surprizing distance, and with such wonderful 

 activity and precision, that it never once misses its 

 aim : the others, one by one, and even the females 

 with their little ones at their backs, which stick fast 

 to their mother, follow their leader, and perform 

 the same leap with the greatest apparent facility and 

 safety. They are also remarkable for climbing up 

 the nehees or natural ropes, with which many parts 

 of the forests are interwoven *. 



This is a very tender animal, and has not yet, I 

 believe, been brought into Europe. 



THE CINGALESE MONKEY f. 



This Monkey is mentioned by Professor Thun- 

 ber^, in his Account of Ceylon. He describes it as 

 being about the size of a small Cat, and having a 

 very long, hairy, tapering, and prehensile tail ; the 

 body grey ; tlie face blackish, bald, and very little 

 $haded with hair ; the beard on the chin and cheeks 

 white, and turned backwards, the hairs standing, 

 however, nearly erect, and almost covering the cars 



* Stodnifin's Surinam. 

 t Tluinliere; rail?; tliii^ animal Siniia Silcnus. It certainly cannot 

 bo tliat of Linna'iis, vliiclibnsa sliort tail, not prehensile, and in 

 otliencsiiccis is ilill'erent. lie calls it also Rollewai, and Cingalese Ape, 

 l;tit it ajipcars to aijrce with iioue described in our present books- 

 Si fe [ZV^<.<'V^y7'''-, iv. '^14. 



