THE 81 EVERY a IB BON. 
31 
exceeding power of muscle, tliougli the strength which resides in these largely developed limbs 
is of a different character. 
If the gigantic and powerful gorilla be compared to Hercules, then the light and active 
Gibbons may find their type in Mercury, the swift aerial messenger of the Olympian deities. 
The ponderous weight of the larger apes binds them to earth ; and even the orangs, which are 
more active than the chimpanzee, are no very great adepts at leaping through great intervals 
of space. But the Gibbons seem to pass nearly as much time in the air as on the branches, 
shooting from one resting-place to 
another, with such rapid movements, 
that the eye can hardly follow their 
course — the very swallows of the 
monkey race. 
From their wonderful agility in 
flinging themselves from branch to 
branch, or from tree to tree, natural- 
ists have given to these animals the 
generic name of hylobates , signifying, 
“tree traverser.” And carrying out 
the mythological comparison which 
has just been mentioned, the name 
Lar has been attributed to this species. 
The Silvery Gibbon derives its 
name from the silver-gray color which 
generally pervades the fur. In some 
parts of the body, however, there is a 
browner tinge, and the face and palms 
of the hands are quite black. The sides 
of the face are covered with white, 
furry hair, which is so plentiful, that 
although the ears are tolerably large, 
they are nearly hidden among the 
luxuriant hairy fringe that encircles 
the head. The eyes of this and of the 
other Gibbons are deeply sunk in the 
head. The size of the Silvery Gibbon 
is little different from that of Gibbons 
generally, the adult animal measuring 
about three feet or so in height. 
Active, as are all its relatives, it lives 
among the branches and tall canes of 
the Malaccas, and displays in these congenial habitations the same sportive agility that is so 
peculiar to the Gibbons. 
A very different group of animals now comes before us, separated even by the outer form 
from the apes. 
The chief distinction which strikes the eye, is the presence of a tail, which is of some 
length, and in several species, among which we may mention the Simpai itself, is extremely 
long and slender in proportion to the body. The arms of these animals are not of that inor- 
dinate length which is seen in the limbs of the apes, but are delicate and well proportioned. 
The hinder paws, or hands, are extremely slender, their thumbs being short, and are twice 
the length of the fore-paws. 
Some of these monkeys are furnished with small cheek-pouches, while others appear to 
be destitute of these natural pockets. The callosities of the hinder quarters are well shown. 
In this group of the Quadrumana, the characteristics of the apes disappear, and the ani- 
mals betray more clearly their quadrupedal nature. Y ery seldom do they assume the erect 
SILVERY GIBBON . — Hylobates leudscus. 
