THE PIGMIES. 89 



In his History of Birch, and a propos of that of the crane, Btjf- 

 roN has discussed the general bearing of the data which I have 

 just reviewed in order to ascertain what truth there might be in 

 them. But he leaves Aristotle a little too much on one side, and 

 attaches himself really to Pliny's assertions only. Referring 

 what the Eoman naturalist says about the annual expedition of 

 the Pigmies to certain habits attributed to monkeys, he sees in the 

 latter the famous dwarfs of antiquity : " It is known," says he, 

 " that monkeys, which go about in large troops in most parts of 

 " Africa and India, are in the habit of carrying on a perpetual 

 " war against birds ; they try to surprise their nests and are cons- 

 " tantly laying snares to catch them. When the cranes arrive, 

 " they find these enemies, assembled perhaps in large numbers in 

 " order to attack this new and rich booty with the greater advan- 

 " tage. The birds, confident in their strength, pretty well experi- 

 " enced by continual fighting among themselves, and naturally 

 11 disposed to it, make a vigorous defence. But the monkeys, furi- 

 '•' ously bent upon carrying away the eggs and young ones, come 

 " back constantly in bands to the attack ; and, as by their tricks, 

 " antics and attitudes, they seem to imitate human actions, they 

 " have been taken by ignorant people to be an army of little men 

 " This is the origin and history of these fables." ( x ) 



This interpretation of the old legend is simple and natural, and 

 must have struck the attention of many. Supported by the autho- 

 rity of our great naturalist, it has generally been adopted. Perhaps 

 it may still be looked upon as presenting a certain amount of 

 truth. It may have happened, that under the influence of generally 

 accepted beliefs, some travellers have really taken a troop of mon- 

 keys for a tribe of genuine Pigmies. 



But has not man himself furnished his share of the data, true in 

 the main and only misrepresented, for these legends, which have been 

 handed down since Homer ? One of our colleagues, M. Eoulin, 

 whom we have all so highly appreciated, as much for his personal 

 character as for the soundness and diversity of his knowledge, is 

 perhaps the first who originated this interpretation. Unfortunate- 



(i) CEuvres completes de Buff on — Edition revised by Mr. A. Richard, Pro- 

 fessor at the Faculty of Medicine of Paris, vol. XIX, p. 337. 



