_Macacus assamensis_, McClell.; Horsfield, P. Z. S., 1839, p. 148; Blyth,
J. A. Soc. Beng., xiii., p. 746 (1844); Anderson, Zool. Exp. Yun-nan, p.
64 (1878; with synonymy); Blanford, Faun. Brit. Ind., Mamm., p. 15
(1888).
_Macacus pelops_, Hodgs., J. A. S., Beng., ix., p. 1213 (1840); Gray,
Cat. Monkeys, Brit. Mus., p. 30 (1870).
_Macacus problematicus_, Gray, Cat. Monkeys, Brit. Mus., p. 128 (1870);
Sclater, P. Z. S., 1871, p. 222.
_Macacus rheso-similis_, Scl., P. Z. S., 1872, p. 495, pl. xxv. (Juv.)
_Macacus erythræus_, Schl., Mus. Pays-Bas., vii, p. 112 1876; (part).
CHARACTERS.--Larger and more strongly-built than _M. rhesus_. Fur
moderately long, wavy, woolly (in some specimens), and without rings; the
hair of the crown radiating from the centre of the forehead outwards and
backwards; the hair round the face and on the chin rather long; that on and
between the shoulders, and on the sides of the chest, longer than on the
hind part of the body; hairs on the lower part of the flanks rather long;
tail about, or less than, half the length of the body, not tufted, but
longer, smaller, and much less densely furred than in _M. rhesus_;
callosities surrounded by fur; ears tufted, and haired inside; beard well
developed; face and ears dusky. Length, 26¾ inches; tail, 9¼ inches.
The fur above differs from that of _M. rhesus_, in the anterior half being
uniform dark brown, wanting the ashy-grey tint; and the hinder portion
brown, without the rufous seen in {21}_M. rhesus_; the outside of the
fore-limbs, the back of the neck, and region between the shoulders, brown,
washed with yellowish or golden; upper surface of head pale
yellowish-brown; flanks, front of fore-limbs, outer aspect of thighs, back
of feet and tail, darker; under surface of body and inside of limbs
yellowish-grey or greyish-yellow; behind the angle of the mouth, below and
behind the ears, and on the chin, the hairs are yellowish-grey, tipped with
black; face and callosities, pale flesh-coloured.
The skull and skeleton agree closely with those of _M. rhesus_, but are
somewhat larger. Canine teeth long, and deeply grooved in front.
DISTRIBUTION.--This Macaque inhabits the Himalayan ranges as far west as
Masuri, or perhaps further, from near the base of the hills to a
considerable elevation (_Blanford_); it extends eastwards from the Nepal
Region of the Himalaya through Assam and the north-eastern portion of
Bengal into the upper or hilly portion of the valley of the Irawady.
(_Anderson._) This species is said to have its home generally between 3,000
and 6,000 feet above the sea. Dr. Anderson obtained on the Irawady, 25
miles below Bhamo, a female out of a large colony "living below the huge
Deva-faced limestone cliff, at the foot of which lies the small pagoda of
Sessoungan. The crews of passing boats and pious visitors generally throw
rice and fruits to these Monkeys as a work of merit."
HABITS.--This species probably represents a Himalo-Burman race or
sub-species of _M. rhesus_. Its habits are much the same as those of that
species, but it is said to have a slightly different voice and to be more
sluggish, according to Blanford.
{22}X. THE BENGAL MACAQUE. MACACUS RHESUS.
_Simia rhesus_, var. Audeb., Hist. Nat. Singes, Fam. ii., Sec. i., p. 5,
pl. i. (1797).
_Simia erythræa_, Schreber, Säugeth, Suppl., pl. 8, fig. c.
_Macacus erythræus_, Cuv., Hist. Nat., Mamm., pl. xxxviii. (young; Oct.,
1819); pls. xxxix. (1821) and xl. (1825; male); Gerv., Hist. Nat., Mamm.,
p. 91 (figs. [male] and [female]; heads; 1834); Swinhoe, P. Z. S., 1870,
p. 226; Schl., Mus. Pays-Bas, vii., p. 112 (1876).
_Macacus rhesus_, Desm., Mamm., p. 66, pl. vii., fig. 2 (1820); Anders.,
Zool. Exped. Yun-nan, p. 55, pl. iii. (with synonymy); Blanford, Faun.
Brit. Ind., Mamm., p. 13.
CHARACTERS.--Body thick-set and with powerful limbs; face long and narrow,
the muzzle somewhat projecting; a few short and coarse hairs on the lips,
chin, and cheeks; eyes rather oval; ears somewhat large and sparsely
haired. Fur moderately long and straight; hair of head coarse, not
radiating, beginning on the orbital ridge, covering the forehead, and
directed backwards; fingers haired to the end of the first digits; nails
rather claw-like; toes haired; callosities surrounded by a semi-nude part
of the buttocks; tail tapering, nearly one-half the length of the body.
Length of males, 22 inches, with a tail of 10 inches; females, 16-18
inches, with a tail of 7-8 inches, the hair projecting 1½ inch beyond the
vertebræ.
Face flesh-coloured, and sprinkled with short, silky, buff-coloured hair;
general colour of the fur on the anterior and upper surface of the body and
arms, greyish-brown, the hairs ashy at base, ringed with yellowish or light
brown, and tipped with darker brown, or even black, giving a rich rufous,
speckled appearance; hinder quarters and outer aspect of the thighs
{23}rufous-yellow, the hairs terminating in this colour; lower parts pale
yellowish-white, or pale rufous yellow; base of the tail
yellowish-chestnut, the rest browner; callosities flesh-colour; eyes
yellowish-brown.
DISTRIBUTION.--The Bengal Monkey is distributed abundantly throughout
Northern India as far south as the Godaveri river on the one side, and
Bombay on the other, and was long considered to be a characteristic species
of Bengal and Upper India. It occurs, however, as Dr. Anderson records, in
the valleys of the mountain systems to the north and east of Akyab, and may
be traced across the range of mountains that defines Arracan from Burmah,
and also as far east as the left bank of the Irawady below Mandalay. It has
been obtained in Assam, and by Dr. Anderson in Yun-nan during the
expedition to that country. It is said to ascend to 10,000 feet in Kashmir.
Mr. Swinhoe obtained this Monkey also in Hainan, and in the Province of
Kiung Chow, in China.
HABITS.--The Bengal Macaque, or Bandar, as it is named by the Hindoos,
lives in troops of considerable size in jungle or low forest, and very
often in rocky places, feeding on insects, fruits, and leaves. It is very
frequently seen on the ground searching for food, according to Dr.
Blanford, and near cultivation, especially around tanks or amongst trees on
the banks of streams. It swims well and takes readily to water. It is a
very quarrelsome species, perpetually screaming and fighting. If not really
sacred to the Hindoos, it is at least rarely molested by them. Dr. Bowdler
Sharpe informs the present writer that he observed a flock of these
Macaques on the road to Simla, when nearing the latter place. They were
running along the road, and as the "tonga" approached, they scrambled up
the rocks, and jabbered vociferously, especially {24}the females, who were
carrying their young. On Jacko there was, in 1885, a large troop of these
animals, and they did considerable damage in the kitchen gardens of the
mountain residences, so that the gardeners had to keep a sharp look-out,
and fire at them occasionally. When he was staying at Mr. Hume's beautiful
place at Simla in 1885, it was often necessary to drive off the Monkeys,
and as one or two had been wounded by the head-gardener, the fakir who
lived at the top of Jacko was much offended. This man had tamed the Monkeys
to such an extent that, when he called them, the trees instantly began to
move in all directions with the approach of numbers of these animals
hastening to him for the peas which he had in readiness for them. They
clustered round him, and though they would not allow strangers to stroke
them, they came within arm's length and picked up their food. One
patriarch, who remained for some time after the tribe had disappeared into
the trees, was called the "Subadar," and wore quite a venerable appearance.
Mr. R. Swinhoe has, in the "Proceedings of the Zoological Society of
London," given the following curious Chinese observations, extracted from
the "Chinese Gazetteer," in reference to this species, which is often
called the Hainan Rock-Monkey: "How (or Monkey). The She-Show ('Notes on
Animals') states that the Monkey has no stomach, but digests its food by
jumping about. According to ancient authors, Kiung Chow abounds in Monkeys,
and its people make a trade by selling young ones."
"About the jungles of Nychow (S. Hainan) these Monkeys," says Mr. Swinhoe,
"were very common. On our landing, abreast of the ship we saw a large party
of them on the beach, but they at once retired into a grove above
high-water mark. We watched them running along the boughs of the trees and
{25}jumping from branch to branch. The discharge of a fowling-piece soon
made them scurry away into the thicket, but every now and again their heads
would appear from the higher bushes, watching the movements of the enemy.
At last, when they observed that our presence implied actual danger to
themselves, they climbed the hills and posted themselves about conspicuous
rocks, where they chattered and grunted out of danger. Their cries are very
like those of _Macacus cyclopis_ of Formosa."
The young clings to its mother's stomach for about a fortnight after birth,
and is nursed with the greatest care by her; after that time it is able to
move about by itself, and it thenceforward rapidly acquires the full use of
its powers.
Mr. Darwin records that the face of the _M. rhesus_, when much enraged,
grows red. When watching this species in the Zoological Gardens, he says:
"Another Monkey attacked a Rhesus, and I saw its face redden as plainly as
that of a Man in a violent passion. In the course of a few minutes, after
the battle, the face of this Monkey recovered its natural tint. At the same
time that the face reddened, the naked posterior part of the body, which is
always red, seemed to grow still redder, but I cannot positively assert
that this was the case."