1900.] MAMMALS OP SIAM AND THE MALAY PENINSULA. 317 



soldiers at Singapore that would dive into a deep tub of water and 

 fetch out bananas that were thrown in for it. 



The males of this species (as well as some other Macaci) seem to 

 vary much in the size to which they attain. 



Distribution. Burma, Nicobar Islands, Siam, Malay Peninsula, 

 Sumatra, Pulo Nias, Banka, Java, Babi, Lombok, Timor, Nat una 

 Islands, Borneo, Celebes (?), and the Philippines. 



The Monkeys of the genus SemnopitTiecus are called by the 

 Malays " Lutong," and by the Siamese "Ling karng"; of their 

 species, varieties, and distribution in Siam and the Malay Peninsula 

 we know but little, and their synonymy is very confusing, and 

 must remain unsettled until much more material than is at present 

 available has been collected. They seem very generally distributed 

 throughout the big jungles both on the mountains and on the plains, 

 but they are usually very shy. Cantor distinguished four species 

 from the Peninsula, which he called SS. obscurus, albocinereus, 

 cristatus, and femoralis respectively- Ridley says " there are several 

 other species of SemnopitTiecus in the Malay Peninsula with appa- 

 rently similar habits to S. femoralis, but it is not easy even to 

 secure specimens, still less to observe their habits.'' 



Personally I know of four distinct species from this region. Of 

 three, S. obscurus, 8. femoralis, aud S. germaini, I have shot specimens, 

 which Mr. Oldfield Thomas has kindly identified ; the fourth I only 

 know from three stuffed specimens in the Museum at Taiping, two 

 of which are from the Piah River in Upper Perak, and one from 

 Tapab, Batang Padang, also in the State of Perak. It is a large 

 species with unusually long limbs and tail (even for a Semno- 

 pitTiecus), and is coloured light rufous brown above and lemon- 

 yellow below ; the hair on the forehead, hands, feet, and tail is dark 

 brown. Mr. Wray has labelled these specimens S. siamensis. 



The Lutongs are but rarely seen in captivity, and are usually 

 short-lived in that state, although it is possible to keep them. In 

 June 1897, Mr. A. H. B. Dennys wrote to me from Penang saying, 

 " There is a very fine adult tame lutong here, a black one, which 

 has been in captivity over three years, but I think it is a rare thing 

 to get them tamed." 



The Siamese believe these monkeys eat human flesh, and are 

 greatly afraid of them. They say if you sleep out in the jungle they 

 will kill you by sucking your blood. 



10. Semnopithecus obscurus Reid. The Dusky Leaf-Monkey. 



SemnopitTiecus obscurus, Blanf. Faun. Ind., Mamm. p. 41. 



" Lutong etam" (etam = black) of the Malays of the Peninsula. 

 Cantor (p. 4) says this is the most common species in Penang and 

 Singapore, and that it also occurs on the Peninsula. It is doubtful, 

 however, whether it does occur at Singapore at the present time. 



In April 1895 I found this species very common in Kedah, 

 living in the highest trees along the banks of the Kedah River and 



