AFE. 
AH tlie species, except one, (the B arb ary ape,) 
-are confined wHhin the limits of the torrid zone, 
where, for the most part, they live on vegetable 
food ; and altho ugh our books on natural history 
enumerate about sixty species, we are given to 
understand that these are but a small proportion 
of the numbers that have even been observed in 
the forests of hot climates. Bosnian says he saw 
an immense number of different kinds on the 
coast of Afrit a, and Condamine tells us, that 
it would occupy a volume to describe accurately 
only the specific characters of those to be found 
along the banks of the great river Amazons. 
They abound in the forests of Africa, India,, 
China, Japan, and South America. 
Several of this tribe have pouches in their 
cheeks in which they macerate their food for 
some time before they chew and swallow it. They 
are fond of bunting after fleas, both in their own 
fur, and in that of their companions. Few 
animals have a more delicate sense of feeling, 
or are agitated by more violent passions. Most 
of them are gregarious, associating in vast com- 
panics, and leaping with great agility among the 
branches of the trees ; but the different species 
always keep apart, and in separate districts, never * 
intermixing with ' each, other. 
In many parts of India the animals of the ape 
tribe are made objects of worship by the natives* 
and temples of the greatest magnificence are 
erected in their honour. Their numbers are 
almost infinite. They frequently come in troops 
into the cities, and they enter the houses at all 
times with perfect freedom ; in Calicut, however* 
the inhabitants keep them in a great measure out 
of their dwellings, but to effect this, they are 
compelled to have their windows latticed. In 
Am&dabad^ the capital of G-uzarat, there are 
DS! 
