42 
Tails. 
Amongst quadrupeds the most cursory observer 
will perceive that some are distinguished by the 
length of their tails, some by the brevity, some by 
the absence of these organs. ‘This distinction is 
noticeable not only amongst animals of the same 
class, but amongst those of the same order: as 
amongst the quadrumana, including monkeys, apes, 
baboons, lemurs, macaucos. Many, as the genus si- 
mia, are distinguished by Illiger cauda nulla, nati- 
bus tectis; genus hylobates, cauda nulla, natibus 
callosis nudis ; genus cercopithecus, cauda elongata 
lava; and amongst his prosimii, lichanotus or lemur 
laniger, cauda aut elongata aut nulla, referring to 
varieties; lemur macauco, cauda elongata; \emur 
tardigradus, cauda nulla. The tail affords power- 
ful aid to most climbers, and to most of those whose 
progress is neither a walk nor a run, but a continual 
succession of springs: it aids the spring in the kan- 
garoo; it balances the body in the bound in the 
jerboa, and in the cat kind, the squirrel, the fox, 
and the monkey, &c. Amongst horses and kine, 
and even amongst lions, the long tail is a valuable 
fly-flap. Mr. Burchell, in his very interesting ac- 
count of his journey into the wild interior of south- 
ern Africa, mentions the hunting hyzna as addicted 
to assail the larger cattle in the night, and suddenly 
biting off their tails: the consequent loss of blood, 
and distress from the torment of insects, may reduce 
their strength, and render them afterwards an easy 
