138 BOTANIC GARDENS MENAGERIE. 



appear to lose the hair on the body to a considerable extent, 

 and the female sometimes at least becomes almost nude about 

 the breast and abdomen when she gets near the breeding age. 



All evidence we have seems to show that the Mias develops 

 at the same rate as a man, the teeth changing at the same 

 period of life. Practically however nothing is known of the 

 later development. 



There are undoubtedly several forms of the Mias, perhaps 

 species differing in the presence or .absence of fleshy flanges to 

 the face, size of apparently full grown animals, and color of the 

 hair, which varies from bright orange colour to dark brown. 



Hylobates syndactylies. 



The Siamang is very seldom to be procured. I only re- 

 member to have seen two in captivity. One of which a very 

 young one was in the Gardens for some time. When happy 

 it makes a very loud booming noise, which can be heard far 

 away. A young one brought for sale by a Malay, lived in a 

 cloth bag, into which it would jump and its weight pulling the 

 strings closed the bag, in which it would sleep curled up. 



H. Agilis. 



The Wawa, is one of the most popular pets, and lives well 

 in captivity, and a number have been kept in the Gardens 

 menagerie. There are three colour varieties ; black with a 

 white face the commonest, white, and grey the scarcest form. 

 They are usually very gentle unless illtreated, and always give 

 pleasure to visitors by then marvellous agility, and by their 

 weird song or wail. They usually sing shortly after sunrise, 

 and in captivity also often when there are a number of visitors 

 looking at them. They have few other sounds, a kind of low 

 plaintive wail when they are very friendly, and a kind of grun- 

 ting when they are on heat, are all the noises they make. The 

 food is boiled rice, fruit, sweet potatoes, bread, etc. They have 

 never bred in captivity. 



The Wawa often lives a long time and specimens have died 

 of old age in the Gardens ; but there was no clue to their age. 

 The chief disease they are liable to is pneumonia from a chill, 



Jour. Straits Branch 



