148 T. H. Hughes — The Hanuman Monkey. [Sept., 



the plains, and mixing with the females a desperate conflict ensues for 

 the favours of the fair lady pugs. This continues for several days, at 

 the end of which time one male more valorous or strong than the rest 

 will be found in possession of the flock, his discomfited fellows remain- 

 ing at a short distance from the scene of their defeat. An interesting 

 scene now ensues, a kind of conference takes place, the female monkies 

 delivering up their half-grown male offspring to the care of the former, 

 who troop away to the jungle re-inforced by the hopeful juniors, who 

 the next season return with their foster fathers to take part in the con- 

 tests which ensue on their periodical migration." 



I do not know whether there are any amongst us who can corrobo- 

 rate the statements here made. So far as my experience of the 

 " Hanuman " goes, I would certainly say that a troop is served by more 

 than one male. 



And, if the habits of our little baboon Innus rhesus may be accepted 

 as indicating the probable manners and customs of his greater cousin, 

 the statement that there is but one stud male may be safely denied ; for 

 I have often been witness to the amorous demonstrations of several pairs 

 in the same troop — the females progressing leisurely along or staying 

 on their 4 legs, each with a consort on her back gripping her haunches, 

 and fulfilling his destiny in broken periods. 



Jerdon may appear to lend the weight of his acquiescence to the 

 statements of the writer I have quoted from, by publishing his remarks ; 

 but I am loth to believe that he considered the observations chronicled 

 as facts in natural history. 



I have always met with mixed communities between the months of 

 October and June (9 months) . And if the several internecine outbursts 

 were of annual occurrence, I think we should have had more records of 

 their having taken place than we appear to possess. 



It is quite true that the " Hanuman " sometimes engages in stirring 

 combats, but for reasons other than the luxury of a train of wives. 



In April 1882, when encamped at the village of Singpur in the 

 Sohagpur district of the Rewa State, my attention was attracted to a 

 restless gathering of " Hanumans " in the grove adjoining the one in 

 which my tent was pitched ; and wishing to form some idea as to its 

 cause, I strolled to where the excitement was greatest, and found two 

 opposing troops engaged in demonstrations of an unfriendly character. 



Two males of one troop — fair-sized brutes, and one of another — a 

 splendid looking fellow of stalwart proportions — were walking round 

 and displaying their teeth. The solitary gladiator headed a much 

 smaller following than that captained by the other two, and, strange to 

 say, instead of the whole number of monkeys joining in a general melee, 



