OEDEE or QUADEUMANA. 587 



but prefer fruits and roots. They readily tame, and, unlike the 

 majority of the Old- World Monkeys, do not manifest any change 

 of temper, any malevolent disposition, when they have attained 

 adidt life. The principal species of the genus are the Agile 

 Gibbon, the Siamang, and the Howling Gibbon or Hooloch. 



Doctor Franklin, speaking of the Agile Gibbon, says : — 

 " Some years ago a female of this species was exhibited in 

 London. The cries it emitted when going through its perform- 

 ances, naturalists decided to be most musical. This individual 

 was timid and gentle. It preferred the society of women to that 

 of men. It was thought that this circumstance was due to the 

 bad treatment it had received at the hands of the stronger sex. 

 It was intelligent and observant : its piercing eyes seemed to be 

 always on the qui vive, scrutinising every one, and missing 

 nothing of what passed around. When any one gained its 

 confidence, it consented after several invitations to descend from 

 its perch and shake hands." * 



The Siamang — to which the term Syndadyla is applied, 

 because the first and second fingers of the posterior limbs are 

 united as far as the middle of the second joint — has been well 

 studied, in its native country, by the naturalist Duveaucel. The 

 face and entire coat are quite black. It is more particularly 

 known by an enormous pouch which communicates with the 

 larynx, and which it can distend at pleasure, by introducing into 

 it a certain quantity of air. This is situated in front of the 

 throat, where it looks like the enlargement known as goitre. 

 According to Duveaucel, they collect in numerous troops, under 

 the leadership of an experienced chief, and greet the sun, at 

 its rising and setting, with cries which are heard for several 

 miles round. They are not very nimble, but their sense of 

 hearing is extremely acute ; the moment they notice the slightest 

 soimd, they decamp without delay. But if they are on the 

 ground, and they have not time to reach trees, they are easily 

 overtaken. When one of the mature animals is wounded, it is 

 pitilessly abandoned by its companions. Not so with a yoxmg 

 one, for its mother halts, throws herself before the enemy with 

 fearful bowlings and every demonstration of grief. 



An English naturalist, George Bennett, had in his possession a 



* La Tie (f«s^Hii«ffKx (Mammiferes). 



