PART III-ZOOLOGICAL 



CLASS MAMMALIA (Mammals). 



ORDER PRIMATES 1 (Apes, Monkeys, &c. ; 

 370 Species). 



This Order, placed at the head of the animal kingdom, contains, besides 

 Man, five families of Monkeys, forming the Sub-Order Anthropoidea, and 

 three families of Lemurs and their allies, constituting the Sub-Order 

 Lemuroidea. All the members of the Order are confined at the present 

 day to the warmer regions of the globe, only ranging about 40 degrees 

 north and south of the Equator. They are entirely absent from Australia 

 and the various islands of the Pacific Ocean. 



The first three families of the Anthropoidea (Simiidae, Hylobatidse and 

 Cercopithecidse) are exclusively Old World inhabitants, and are much more 

 akin to one another than the other two families (Cebidse and Callitrichidse), 

 which are confined to the New World. The former are known as Catarrhine 

 and the latter as Platyrrhine Monkeys, these terms having reference to the 

 narrowness and the breadth respectively of the septum which separates the 

 nostrils in these two groups. The fossil forms belonging to this Sub-Order 

 extend its range in the New World southwards to the Straits of Magellan, 

 and in the Old World from the Black Sea through Southern and Central 

 Europe to Britain. 



The remains of the fossil Anthropoid known as Pithecanthropus erectus, 

 probably represent the highest form of animal life known, man alone 

 excepted. By some authors this remarkable fossil, which was discovered 

 in 1894 in the Pleistocene deposits of Java, is assigned to the same family 

 as man himself (Hominidse). 



The Sub-Order Lemuroidea is restricted to tropical Africa, the 

 Mascarene Islands and the Oriental region from the Himalayas eastwards 

 to the Philippines and Celebes and southwards to Sumatra, Java and 

 adjoining islands. In past ages Lemuroids also occurred in France and 

 Central Europe and the western half of North America. 



SIMIID^ (Gorilla, Chimpanzee and Orang-Utan; 3 Species). 

 Plate 3, Map i. 



The members of this family, together with the Gibbons or Hylobatidse, 

 closely resemble man in bodily structure, and are hence known as Anthro- 

 poid or Man-like Apes. They are all inhabitants of tropical forest regions 

 in the Old World, and lead an almost exclusively arboreal existence. The 

 distribution of the three species is shown separately on the map. 



The Gorilla {Gorilla gorilla) is the most formidable species, and is 

 restricted to tropical Africa, ranging from the Cameroons in the west over 

 the Congo basin to the frontiers of Uganda and German East Africa. 



The Chimpanzee (Anthropopithecus troglodytes) and its races occupy a 

 somewhat more extensive range in the same region, extending westwards 

 as far as Senegambia. It is a smaller animal than the Gorilla, with smaller 

 canine teeth. The remains of another species have been found in the Miocene 

 and Pliocene deposits of India. 



In the Oriental region the family is represented by the Orang-Utan 

 (Simia satyrus). This animal is characterised, like the Gorilla, by its very 

 large canine teeth, and its brain approaches that of man more closely than 

 does that of any other ape. At the present day the Orang is restricted to 

 the dense primeval forests of Borneo and Sumatra, but in the Pliocene 

 period it appears to have inhabited northern India. 



HYLOBATID-E (Gibbons; 16 Species). Plate 3, Map i. 



The Gibbons should, perhaps, be united with the Simiidse, from all of 

 which, however, they may be distinguished by the great length of their arms 

 and by their habit of walking upright. They are purely Oriental in their 

 distribution, being confined to the wooded regions of south-eastern Asia. 

 Their range extends from Assam and the island of Hainan in the north, 

 through Siam and the Malay Peninsula to the islands of Sumatra, Borneo, 

 and Java. 



CERCOPITHECID^ (Old World Monkeys; 174 Species). 

 Plate 3, Map ii. 



This family includes all the Old World true Monkeys, as distinguished 

 from Apes, and is characteristic of the Ethiopian and Oriental regions, but 

 it has no representatives in the large island of Madagascar. In Asia these 

 monkeys extend in an eastward direction as far as Japan, the Philippine 

 Islands and Celebes. The family includes, among others, the Langurs, the 

 Proboscis Monkey, a number of African species of the typical genus Cer- 

 copithecus, the Mangabeys and Macaques, and the Baboons. Although most 

 of the species are confined to warm regions, yet some of the Asiatic forms 

 can endure a considerable degree of cold, being sometimes found above the 

 snow-line. 



The Langurs (Semnopithecus) are found in southern Asia and the Malay 

 Archipelago. Over 30 species are known, one of which ascends to a height 

 of 10,000 feet in the Himalayas. The Macaques (Macacus) are, with one 



1 The classification adopted for the Mammalia is, with slight modifications, that of Messrs 

 Flower and Lydekker in Mammals Living and Extinct, 1891. 



exception, entirely confined to Asia. The exception referred to is the 

 Barbary Ape, which frequents the mountains of Marocco and Algeria and 

 also occurs on the Rock of Gibraltar, being thus the only species of monkey 

 found in Europe. In the latter locality it is protected by law. The curious 

 Proboscis Monkey (JVasalis larvatus) is confined to north-west Borneo, and 

 is the only representative of its genus. The Mangabeys (Cercocebus) and 

 the species of the genera Colobus and Cercopithecus are exclusively African, 

 as are also the Baboons (Theropithecus and Papio). The skins of two species 

 of Colobus and one of Cercopithecus are used by furriers, one species of the 

 former genus, found on the west coast of Africa, being in serious danger of 

 extermination, owing to an average annual slaughter of 200,000 animals. 

 The island of Celebes possesses a remarkable and peculiar form, known as 

 the Black Ape (Cynopithecus niger). This animal forms a connecting link 

 between the Macaques and the Baboons. 



The range of the known fossil species indicates that southern Europe and 

 even Britain once possessed monkeys of this family. The oldest representa- 

 tives occur in the deposits of Middle Miocene age. At the present day 

 fully two-thirds of the species are African. 



CEBID2E (Spider-Monkeys, Howlers, Squirrel-Monkeys, &c. ; 

 75 Species). Plate 3, Map ii. 



Included in the present family are the American monkeys variously 

 called Spider-Monkeys, Howling Monkeys, Sapajous or Capuchin Monkeys,. 

 Squirrel-Monkeys, Titis and Sakis. These creatures pass their whole lives 

 amongst the dense foliage of the great forests which serve as their home, 

 seldom descending to the ground. They are entirely confined to Central 

 and Tropical South America (east of the Andes), having their metropolis in 

 the forests of Brazil. Their northern limit is about the latitude of 23° N. 

 in Mexico, while to the south they extend to Paraguay and the northern 

 Argentine provinces. 



The tail in many species is long and prehensile, and is as useful as an 

 additional hand. This appendage reaches its maximum of development in 

 the Spider-Monkeys (Ateles). 



The Howlers (Alouata), which include about six species and form a distinct 

 sub-family, receive their name from the fact that they make the night 

 hideous by their loud discordant cries. The fur of members of this genus is 

 sometimes made up into muffs. 



Several fossil species of Cebidse are known, most of which are from the 

 Santa Cruz Formation (supposed Miocene) of Patagonia. 



CALLITRICHID^ (Marmosets; 35 Species). Plate 3, Map ii. 



These pretty creatures are the smallest of all the true Primates, and are 

 restricted in their range to the tropical forests of Central and South 

 America. Only one species has been recorded north of the Isthmus of 

 Panama, occurring as far as Chiriqui, all the rest being confined to the great 

 forests of the Neotropical Region, where they subsist chiefly on fruit and 

 insects. 



LEMURIDJE (Lemurs, Galagos, Lorises and Pottos ; 62 Species). 

 Plate 3, Map iii. 



In this family are included the true Lemurs (Lemurinse), the Lorises 

 and Pottos (Lorisinse), and the Galagos (Galaginse). The first-named, con- 

 sisting of 35 species, are entirely confined to Madagascar and the adjacent 

 islands, where they constitute quite half the Mammalian fauna. Some of 

 them are remarkable for their great beauty of coloration. On the other 

 hand, the Lorises or Slow Lemurs (six species) are Oriental, and range from 

 India and Ceylon to Java, Borneo and the Philippines, while the Pottos (three 

 species) are only found in West Africa from Sierra Leone to the Congo. 

 The 18 known species of Galago range over all that portion of Africa which 

 is coloured green in our Map. 



The majority of the creatures in this family are nocturnal in their habits, 

 and live nearly all their time among the branches of the trees. Their food 

 consists largely of fruit and various vegetable substances. 



Several fossil species have been discovered, all from the Pliocene and 

 Pleistocene of Madagascar. 



TARSIID.E (Tarsiers; 4 Species). Plate 3, Map iii. 



This is a group of singular little animals, the best known of which is 

 found in Sumatra, Borneo, Java, and a few other islands. Two species occur 

 in Celebes and the adjacent isles, while the fourth is a native of the 

 Philippines. The Tarsiers are, like the Lemurs, nocturnal and arboreal 

 creatures. They are only rarely met with and are usually seen going about 

 singly or in pairs. 



CHIROMYID.E (The Aye-Aye; 1 Species). Plate 3, Map iii. 



The single species (Chiromys madagascariensis) constituting this family 

 is a strange-looking creature about the size of a cat, and inhabits the 

 island of Madagascar. It is nocturnal and arboreal in its habits, being 

 partial to the sugar-cane forests which abound in the island. It not only 





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