358 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS 
CHAP. 
world, no one would miss their society, but every¬ 
body would be glad of the riddance. India would 
feel that an incubus had been removed from her 
agricultural industries. 
I have seen at least eighty or a hundred monkeys in 
one small field of wheat, carefully picking every blade 
of corn ; this was in a plot adjoining a jungle, which 
afforded a quick retreat. The natives guard their 
crops more or less, and sling stones or dry lumps of 
earth at the invaders, but they are generally 
regarded with ridicule, and the monkeys eventually 
gain their ends. 
Ahmedabad, which is one of the largest cities in 
Western India, is infested with the large gray 
monkeys, known in India as “longoor” ( Entellus ). 
These may be seen at all hours sitting upon the 
tiled roofs, staring at the city throng and the 
crowded streets, no doubt moralising upon the 
stupidity of human nature, which is forced to labour, 
whereas the wise monkey lives by the pilfering of 
its hands. 
In Ahmedabad it is a common trick upon an 
unpleasant neighbour, to throw a few handfuls of 
gram (a sort of pea) upon his roof. The tiles being 
always loose, the gram sticks between them, and 
some finds its way beneath. The monkeys in their 
wanderings are certain to discover the much-loved 
food, and with the greatest diligence they lift up 
the tiles, and turn them over to discover the grains 
that are concealed below. The first heavy shower 
informs the owner that the monkeys have been 
