THE PROBOSCIS MONKEY, 



35 



under them, and often serve to point out to the hunter the whereabouts of the quarry. A tree 

 thus covered with monkeys is a curious sight ; for the boughs are studded with them as 

 thickly as fruit, and the pendent tails give an absurd appearance to the group. 



Although each part of every animal must be formed with some definite object, there are 

 many which seem to be devoid of use, and among them is the monkey' s tail. 



Some of the monkeys — the spider-monkeys of America, for example — find in their tail a 

 most useful member, by means of which they can suspend themselves from boughs, aid their 

 limbs in tree-climbing, or, on an emergency, pick an object out of a crevice which the hand 

 could not enter. But the use of the 

 tails belonging to these old-world 

 monkeys does seem to be very obscure. 



Some writers have opined that 

 the tails are intended to balance the 

 body in the various attitudes assumed 

 by its owner. But when we reply 

 that the Gibbons, although very much 

 more agile, and, from their very form, 

 requiring more balancing than the 

 monkeys, yet are totally devoid of 

 tails, this supposition falls to the 

 ground. It cannot be for the purpose 

 of flapping away flies that these ani- 

 mals are furnished with such long and 

 slender tails, for their shape renders 

 them useless for that occupation ; and, 

 besides, the hands of the monkeys are 

 much better fly -flappers than its tail 

 could possibly be. 



The question arises, " What does 

 the monkey do with his tail?" 



He nibbles it sometimes, when he 

 is at a loss for occuption. 



It is a curious fact that — at all 

 events in captivity — the long-tailed 

 monkeys will eat their tails, and noth- 

 ing seems to deter them from this 

 strange act. The tips of those mem- 

 bers have been covered with plasters, 

 and have been tied up in bandages, 

 but without effect. The ends of the tails have been treated with aloes, cayenne pepper, and 

 other disagreeable substances, just as the finger-tips of a nail-biting child are dressed. But, 

 though the creature splutters and makes strange grimaces at the horrid flavors that greet his 

 palate, he cannot refrain from the accustomed luxury, and perseveres in his nibbling. One 

 great charm of this habit seems to be the excitement felt by the monkey in trying how far he 

 can nibble without smarting for it. Whatever may be the cause, the effect is that the tail is 

 gradually eaten up, in spite of all endeavors to prevent such a consummation. Considered in 

 a social light, the tails are calculated to promote the merriment of the company, for they 

 are admirable handles for practical jokes, and afford mutual amusement, not unmingled with 

 indignation. 



The Pkoboscis Monkey, or Kaiiau, as it is sometimes called, on account of its cry bearing 

 some resemblance to that word, is an inhabitant of Borneo, and probably of several neigh- 

 boring countries. It is, as may be seen by the engraving, an animal of very unattractive 

 features, principally on account of its enormously lengthened nose. This feature does not- 

 present itself in perfection until the Kahau has reached its maturity. When the animal is 



KAHAU.— Presbytes larvalus. 



