2 NATURAL HISTORY. 
novel Natural History book could be compiled, for only the histories of a few have been written, and 
they are by no means always veracious. They would have come from Asia and many of its islands, 
from Africa, from South America, and the Isthmus to the north, and Europe would have sent 
one from the rocks of Gibraltar ; and yet, unless those of the same country had been properly 
introduced, either by Dame Nature or by the chapter of accidents incident to such a very un- 
likely meeting as we are imagining, they would not know many of their fellows. They are 
exclusive in their habits, and their particular parks and forests are limited in extent, and some- 
times very much so. Of course, there are some exceptions, and many kinds which roam over 
largo countries, and are even found in different islands, have gained the superior intelligence and 
the ready affability and easiness of intercourse characteristic of the cosmopolitan and traveller. 
Every kind of temper and capacity would be shown ; the Gorillas would probably be shy and cross, 
the Chimpanzees lively and kind, the Baboons grumpy, the Spider Monkeys restless, and most of the 
AMERICAN MONKEY, WITH PREHENSILE TAIL. 
Macaques impudent and cunning — the result of a knowledge of Apes and of many Monkeys.. There 
would be every shade of colour, and of shape and size ; there would be many without tails, some 
with stumps, and others with long tails of no great use except to afiord temptation to the mischievous; 
and not a few with fine large ones useful in the extreme, by acting as a fifth limb. Many would have 
very human faces and sharp eyes, others would look more like dogs, and fierce enough, and theie 
would be every variety of posture. Some would sit very well, others would go on all-fours, and 
there would be others swinging with their long and strong arms, and making tremendous jumps 
and bounds assisted in some by the prehensile tail. Some would want one kind of huit, and 
others different kinds of vegetables, but only two or three tiny little ones would care much about giubs 
and eggs. All would have the very best possible limbs for climbing, grasping, picking, and stealing, 
and all would have good hands, that is to say, fingers and thumbs and wrists, in front, and loot-hands, 
that is to say, feet with a great thumb-like toe behind. In a general sense they would all be foui- 
handed or Quadrumanous, arid this peculiarity would distinguish them from any interlopers who might 
have got into the assemblage unasked. 
It may be doubted whether the most scientific of the scientific could do much in the way of 
science at first with such varied and amusing creatures before him ; but the mind will attempt to com- 
pare and notice differences under all sorts of circumstances, and therefore some general truths would 
