NOTES ON MAMMALS FOUND IN THE SIMLA DISTRICT. 731 



somewhat unusual, I stood still and closely watched the old monkey. 

 But I soon became aware of a most offensive odour pervading the surround- 

 ing atmosphere. The closer one approached the tree tenanted by the 

 female and her ghastly treasure, the stronger did the stench become. I 

 felt some hesitation at first in associating this with the defunct animal. 

 Determined, however, in spite of the abominable smell, to put the matter 

 beyond dispute, I followed, with little difiiculty, the herd of animals as 

 they were feeding from tree to tree ; and the lapse of a very short time was 

 quite sufficient to convince me that the disgusting smell proceeded from 

 what was left of the dead monkey, and that the latter was beyond doubt 

 the offspring of the old female. I frequently saw the mother tenderly 

 fondle the remains of her young one, then hvirriedly put them away from 

 her on a branch, then snatch them up again, look at them in a most anxious 

 manner, smell her hands, and utter a low pitiful moan. There was no 

 doubt whatever that the smell affected her greatly, but she seemed either 

 unable, or unwilling to account for it. How long the mother carried the 

 remains of this loathsome corpse about with her it is of course impossible 

 to say, but the strong affection and acute suffering displayed by this 

 dumb creature for its progeny have, I must confess, left a very strong 

 impression on my mind. 



2. Presbytis schistaceus, Hodgs. — The Himalayan Langoor. 

 (Blanford No. 13.) 



(Simla = "Langoor"; Simla Hill States (Outer ranges) = "Gholee; " 

 " Tulaundhar"). 

 . The following are the measurements of an adult male skull : — 



From the supraoccipital to the end of premaxillaries 140 mm.; from the 

 anterior margin of the foramen magnum to end of premaxillaries 101 

 mm.; zygomatic breadth 108 mm. 



A large m^ale shot some time ago, weighed exactly one maund. 



Large herds of this fine Monkey, composed of both sexes and of all 

 ages, are to be seen in the forests here throughout the year. I was much 

 surprised to find it romping about on the banks of the Koshalla stream 

 (elevation 2,300 feet), which is practically at the base of the Himalayas. 



It is purely a tree-feeder, and its diet consists of acorns, wild fruits, 

 buds, and flowers. It is not destructive to crops like iS". rhesus, but at Simla it 

 frequently steals into the gardens and orchards, and devours any fruit that 

 it can find. Rose-buds are, I believe, readily eaten. 



In addition to the low grunting note, it sometimes utters a loud shrill 

 whistle, which is taken up by the whole herd : whether this whistle is used as 

 a cry of alarm, or is simply uttered spontaneously, I have never yet been 

 able to determine satisfactorily. 



Blanford forgets to comment on the extraordinary acuteness of this 

 animal's sense of hearing. 



It has been asserted that some species of deer, chiefly Chital and 

 Sambhar, are frequently to be seen near a herd of Langoors, but the exact 

 object of this strange association is still a moot point. I once referred it 

 to my friend, Mr. 0. H. Johnstone, a good shikari and a keen observer, who 

 has resided in these hills for many years, and I asked him if he had ever 

 had the good fortune to witness this curious fact. He informed me that he 

 had certainly seen Chital under fig and other jungle fruit trees (in the 

 Duns) on which Langoors had been feeding, and judging from the 

 numerous hoof -marks, he was inclined to think that the deer follow the 

 monkeys about, not for the sake of protection, as has been thought, but to 

 pick up the fruit that has fallen. 



