ANECDOTE OF A GIBBON 3t

number of gibbons (Aylobates agilis). They live
quite’ free from all restraint in the trees, merely
coming when called to be fed. One of them, a young
male, on one occasion fell from a tree and dislocated
his wrist ; it received the greatest attention from the
others, especially from an old female, who, however,
was no relation. She used, before eating her own
plantains, to take up the first that were offered to her
every day and give them to the cripple, who was
living in the eaves of a wooden house; and I have
frequently noticed that a cry of fright, pain, or dis-
tress from one would bring all the others at once to
the complainer, and they would then condole with
him and fold him in their arms.’

But this sympathy is quite in accordance with
the character of all the Anthropoddea. In them, as
Romanes observes, ‘affection and sympathy are
strongly marked, the latter, indeed, more so than in
any other animals, not even excepting the dog’ It
is at least significant that the animals whose infancy
is prolonged—that is, with whom the mother’s care
lasts longest—are almost invariably the gentlest and
most intelligent ; for it is quite a mistake to suppose
that apes or monkeys are of inferior intelligence to
dogs, or elephants, or horses. By a confusion of
thought, docility is mistaken for intelligence, and
intelligence measured by the ease with which it can
be adapted to the service of man. The negro’s faith-
fulness as a slave is no testimony to the superiority
of his intellectual powers over those of the Arab or
the European.

Next to the Szmzidz, on the downward track,