APES AND MONKEYS. 



285 



monkeys, the Hanuman or Entellus, which, in India, is held as 

 sacred, in a certain sense even as divine, and that the souls of 

 departed kings return to the bodies of these monkeys. One of the 

 reigning families, in particular, shows its pride in this descent 

 through its adopted title of honour; — " tailed Rana ".^^ 



Similar views to those prevailing among the Indians have 





Fig. 42. — Entellus Monkeys (Semnopithectis Entellus). 



come into vogue among ourselves in recent times, and the monkey 

 question, which I should like to discuss shortly, yet so as to be 

 generally understood, has raised much dust. A scientific question, 

 of little general interest to the laity, has not only fanned pious 

 anger to blazing flames, but has divided serious naturalists into two 

 different parties who defend their respective positions with excited 

 warmth. Circles, altogether alien to scientific investigation, have 

 taken up the strife, without knowing or suspecting its real import 



