ABOUT INDIAN MONKEYS.

Manawatu Herald, 9 June 1898, Page 4

ABOUT INDIAN MONKEYS.

The Method They Employ When Bobbins a Cornfield. It is still an article of faith, not only in India, but in oil lands where monkeys go in packs, that they have a king, laws and langnage of coarse. Saving the first item and duly limiting the others, the belief is sound no doubt. But Ibn Batuta tolls ns, on the authority of "pious persons" he met in India, that the king lives in state. Four noblemen llways attend him with rods in their hands and cooks serve him on their knees. The king has a train of "armed followers. " When a subject is caught, he contrives to send a message to the soy ereign, who forthwith dispatches an "* army, and when they como to the town they pull down the houses and beat the people, and their armies, it is said, are many. This is not quit© so ridioulous as it looks, for the sacred apes that frequent an Indian village will readily -•ther to avenge an injury, and it is a gu -on practice with them to destroy comn.. when angered, the huts ». ' • a great many children, They havb Mis unlike its father and when a chi. O uton the high and mother it is thro '-o n jj_ Q nm road. Then they are tah~ -^ sorfc doos, who teach them ev<- .^ „ , handicraft, or sell them at nig,. ' they may not find their way home. At Shabar, which appears to have been somewhere near Madras, people dare not travel by night in the woods, for fear of monkeys, which is certainly not exact, since these creatures never move after sundown, but if there be a foundation of truth in the legend it is curious. We are not aware that any Indian apes at this day will attack .a passerby unless gravely provoked. But there are plenty elsew-here that willIt is a well known fact that in proceeding to raid the cornfields in certain parts of Africa apes have' a combined, plan of action. The old male"»" go first — some of them scout on either flanky and climb every eminence near the Iftteof march, to assure themselves that 1&& route is safe. After reconnoitering, they j give orders in such different tones of voice that each must have a special meaning. The elders are silent when advancing, but the main body, females and young, keep up an incessant chatter, playing and feeding as they go, unless brought to an instantaneous halt by signal. Behind follows the rear guard of males, who drive loiterers sharply on. On reaching the cornfields the scouts take post all round, while all the rest fall to plundering with the utmost expedition, filling their cheek pouches as full as they will hold, and then tucking the heads of corn under their armpits. —Boston Traveller.