MONKEYS AS BOTANISTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 32, 8 February 1939, Page 3

MONKEYS AS BOTANISTS

TpHROUGH the help of monkeys the collections of botanical specimens in many universities, museums, and institutes throughout the world will be much enriched. Two monkeys are now fully trained and employed by the Botanic Garden staff of the Straits Settlements to collect specimens of flowers, fruits, twigs, and leaves from the tall trees which have been so far almost unobtainable because of their remoteness from the ground. Already the monkeys have succeeded in disclosing facts about flowers and fruits hitherto unknown to botanists

because they had lain hidden beyond their reach in the tree tops. The monkeys, which have entered Government service, are Beroks or pigtailed monkeys. This kind of monkey has been always used by the natives to collect coco-nuts. They are captured when very young, and trained carefully for their job of twisting off the coco-nuts and dropping them to the ground. They have also been used to pluck mangoes and other products. Once shown what to seek they quickly find it. Their aptitude for learning is wonderful. Botanists quickly conceived the idea

of training them still further; and the two Beroks which are now in commission have come to understand twelve words of Malay. These words are used to direct them towards the particular plant specimen which the observer on the ground desires to possess. To prevent these valuable servants from disappearing in the tree-tops, they are tied to an 180-foot string, which is manipulated on the principle of the fishing rod. It might be expected that the monkeys would get into difficulties with this long length of string, but this they do not do. Difficulties seldom arise, as the Beroks follow their way back along the same route that they went. If they do get into difficulties they can quickly extricate themselves, for there is hardly a knot which they cannot untie.