THE SILVERY GIBBON. 



31 



exceeding power of muscle, though the strength which resides in these largely developed limbs 

 is of a different character. 



If the gigantic and powerful gorilla be compared to Hercules, then the light and active 

 Gibbons may find their type in Mercury, the swift aerial messenger of the Olympian deities. 

 The ponderous weight of the larger apes binds them to earth ; and even the orangs, which are 

 more active than the chimpanzee, are no very great adepts at leaping through great intervals 

 of space. But the Gibbons seem to pass nearly as much time in the air as on the branches, 

 shooting from one resting-place to 

 another, with such rapid movements, 

 that the eye can hardly follow their 

 course — the very swallows of the 

 monkey race. 



From their wonderful agility in 

 flinging themselves from branch to 

 branch, or from tree to tree, natural- 

 ists have given to these animals the 

 generic name of hylobates, signifying, 

 "tree traverser." And carrying out 

 the mythological comparison which 

 has just been mentioned, the name 

 Lar has been attributed to this species. 



The Silveey Gibbon derives its 

 name from the silver-gray color which 

 generally pervades the fur. In some 

 parts of the body, however, there is a 

 browner tinge, and the face and palms 

 of the hands are quite black. The sides 

 of the face are covered with white, 

 furry hair, which is so plentiful, that 

 although the ears are tolerably large, 

 they are nearly hidden among the 

 luxuriant hairy fringe that encircles 

 the head. The eyes of this and of the 

 other Gibbons are deeply sunk in the 

 head. The size of the Silvery Gibbon 

 is little different from that of Gibbons 

 generally, the adult animal measuring 

 about three feet or so in height. 

 Active, as are all its relatives, it lives 

 among the branches and tall canes of 

 the Malaccas, and displays in these congenial habitations the same sportive agility that is so 

 peculiar to the Gibbons. 



A very different group of animals now comes before us, separated even by the outer form 

 from the apes. 



The chief distinction which strikes the eye, is the presence of a tail, which is of some 

 length, and in several species, among which we may mention the Simpai itself, is extremely 

 long and slender in proportion to the body. The arms of these animals are not of that inor- 

 dinate length which is seen in the limbs of the apes, but are delicate and well proportioned. 

 The hinder paws, or hands, are extremely slender, their thumbs being short, and are twice 

 the length of the fore-paws. 



Some of these monkeys are furnished with small cheek -pouches, while others appear to 

 be destitute of these natural pockets. The callosities of the hinder quarters are well shown. 



In this group of the Quadrumana, the characteristics of the apes disappear, and the ani- 

 mals betray more clearly their quadrupedal nature. Very seldom do they assume the erect 



SILVERT GIBBON.— Hylibates leuciscus. 



