A Hand-book to the Primates, Volume 1 (of 2)Forbes, Henry O. (Henry Ogg)
Science
A Hand-book to the Primates, Volume 1 (of 2)
Forbes, Henry O. (Henry Ogg)
Primates
With the following account of the numerous species of the genera of this
family, we come to consider the first section of the Old World, or
Catarrhine[14] Monkeys. These are {249}distinguished from their New World
cousins, described in the previous pages, by many important and obvious
characters. The partition dividing the nostrils is narrow, instead of
broad, and the openings of the nostrils themselves are directed downwards
and outwards. Certain genera possess also sacs formed by distensible folds
of the skin in the cheeks. These "cheek-pouches" serve as a storing-place
by the side of the jaws, for food which they cannot masticate at the
moment. When this store is disposed of, the folds of skin come together
again and give no indication of the presence of the pouch, which, moreover,
when full does not interfere with the mastication of other food in the
mouth, or with the utterance of the animal's usual cries.
The hind-limbs are never shorter than the fore-; they may be equal in
length, but they are generally somewhat longer, the animal being more or
less quadrupedal, or very partially erect in gait. Their thumb is not
invariably present, but when it is, it is always opposable to its fellow
digits. The great-toe is never rudimentary, and is never, as it is in Man,
the longest, but is the shortest digit of the foot, and it is capable of
free motion to and from the others. All of the digits possess nails. The
length of the foot among this group approximates more to the proportions of
the foot in Man. The hairs on the arms and fore-arms are directed downwards
from the shoulder to the wrist.
The tail in this family varies very much; it may be long or short, or even
externally absent, but it is never prehensile. All the species, however,
possess "callosities," or hard fleshy pads--often of large size--on the
buttocks or seat, which, like the naked skin of the face, are usually
brilliantly coloured and often of large size. The perineal region and
organs are at certain periods, especially in the females, subject to great
turgescence and brilliant coloration.
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