56 



with large heads and very long tails, and resemble squirrels 

 more than monkeys. 



Among Monkeys the principle here laid down is shown in 

 spite of the fact that most Monkeys are somewhat grotesque 

 in form. But there are some, such as the Spider- Monkeys and 

 Macaci, in which a marked elegance of trunk and limbs goes 

 with great agility ; and others, such as the Baboons, show a 

 corresponding awkwardness of shape and movement, and much 

 less active habits. Indeed, some of these, e.g., the Drill, 

 Mandrill and Arabian Baboons, are ugly in the extreme, though 

 this does not accompany a specially sluggish disposition, on the 

 contrary, they are fierce and active at times, though like all 

 their tribes, much addicted to sitting for a long time at rest. 



It is noteworthy how few of the great group of Primates, 

 except Man, and he only in his higher development, show real 

 beauty of form and symmetry. But Man's supposed congeners, 

 the Anthropoid Apes, furnish examples of our principle, three 

 of the four genera being distinctly ill-proportioned and ugly, 

 viz., Gorilla, Orang and Chimpanzee, and one much more 

 elegant and well-proportioned, viz., the Gibbon. In these 

 cases the difference in form is associated with marked differences 

 of habit, the latter being extremely agile and active ; the three 

 former sluggish in life, though powerful and fierce when attacked 

 or provoked. 



In the case of Man, the relation between beauty of form and 

 muscular activity only partially appears because the introduction 

 of the element of sexual selection interferes with the pure action 

 of an active habit on the general form and symmetry; but 

 within limits, it is evident, even in Genus Homo, that muscular 

 activity leads to or accompanies symmetry and elegance of form. 



From this somewhat discursive study of large series of 

 animal forms, three conclusions emerge : — 



First. — In the extreme instances of beauty of form on the 

 one hand and ugliness or grotesqueness of form on the other, no 

 doubt can be entertained of the fact that with the former, 

 muscular activity and generally active habits, and with the 

 latter, sluggishness of habit, are intimately associated. There 

 are numerous forms of animal life to which reference has been 

 made which may be called indifferent as to beauty of form and 



