ORDER QUADRUMANA. 269 



general, by these qualities, and more especially from 

 those we have last described, the Malbrouc, the Callitrix 

 and the Grivet. Even the Mangabey, though gentler than 

 the others, is less so than the varied monkey. But this 

 animal has no physical character to confirm and esta- 

 blish the peculiar distinction to which its moral qualities 

 would seem to entitle it. In truth the species of the 

 varied monkey 'does not differ essentially from the other 

 Guenons but by its colours, and in these we discover a 

 variety, which we do not recognise in the other species. 

 Its head is of a brilliant golden green, its back and sides 

 are of a beautiful marron, variegated with black. The 

 exterior portion of the limbs, and of the tail, a pure slate- 

 coloured gray, and its neck, chest, belly, and the internal 

 facing of the limbs, a shining white. On each side of its 

 cheeks are thick whiskers of a straw-coloured yellow mixed 

 with black points, there are also other variations of colour, 

 which we forbear to insist on, under the fear of becoming 

 tedious. 



This variety of colour made Buffon imagine that the 

 Mona was the Kebos of the Greeks. But this is mere con- 

 jecture. The ancients have rarely described monkeys so as 

 to enable us to recognise the species of which they spoke. 

 They confined themselvesto naming the animals, as if they 

 were ignorant that languages partook of the destinies of 

 nations, or as if they had written only for the advantage of 

 their contemporaries. 



The appellation of Mona, a generic name in the East for 

 all monkeys with long tails, has been bestowed by Buffon 

 on this species in a manner no less arbitrary. However, 

 as among us this name has no signification, it may assume 

 without inconvenience this specific acceptation. It is sel- 

 dom possible for the naturalist to apply to a new and fo- 

 reign species one of its true names. But if the one he 

 gives be well chosen, though arbitrary, it is always prefer - 

 Vol. i. ' u 



