22 



SUBKINGDOM VBKTEBKATA. 



passes beneath; whereas they generally remain upon the 

 ground, eat fruits and yegetables, and merely bend down 

 branches for a seat and, perhaps, for concealment. 



The Orang differs more widely from man, and is adapted 

 to an arboreal life. It inhabits Southern Asia. In the wild 

 state it is frugivorous (fruit-feeding), not even eating eggs, 

 though the teeth are adapted to either vegetable or animal 

 food. Matured orangs of the same species and sex vary in 

 height from five to over seven feet. 



The Gibbon is distinguished by the length of its arms and 

 the slenderness of its form. With a height of three feet, the 

 reach of the extended arms is six feet, enabling it to swing 

 through the air among branches twenty feet apart.* 



Mg. 9. 



BylobaUs agiilis. Gibbon. 



syndacttjlus, SiSmang. 



The Siamang derives its specific name from the adhesion 

 of the first and second fingers as far as the joint which bears 

 the nail. The posterior callosities of this genus link it to the 



* When the Ateles wish to cross a river, the strongest aecend a high tree over. 

 jiOoking the stream. The leader hooking his tail firmly to a limb" drops downward^ 

 while the next attaches himself to his predecessor, and so on, forming at last a long 

 chain of monkeys. This swings to and fro nntil the end monkey grasps a limb upon 

 the opposite bank. Along this living suspension bridge the troop pass over, a mis^ , 

 chievous monkey occasionally playing otf a practical joke on some member as be 

 hurries forward. To get the bridge across, the first monkey lets go and the chain 

 swings over, perhaps ducking one or two, when all unfasten and catching at the 

 branches, descend to the ground. (See page 25, Fig. 16.) 



