and turned inwards, and
cannot be perfectly straightened. In the attempt the skin gathers into
thick folds on the back, shewing that the full expansion of the foot,
as is necessary in walking, is unnatural. The natural position is on all
fours, the body anteriorly resting upon the knuckles. These are greatly
enlarged, with the skin protuberant and thickened like the sole of the
foot.

"They are expert climbers, as one would suppose from their organization.
In their gambols they swing from limb to limb to a great distance, and
leap with astonishing agility. It is not unusual to see the 'old
folks' (in the language of an observer) sitting under a tree regaling
themselves with fruit and friendly chat, while their 'children' are
leaping around them, and swinging from tree to tree with boisterous
merriment.

"As seen here, they cannot be called 'gregarious', seldom more than
five, or ten at most, being found together. It has been said, on good
authority, that they occasionally assemble in large numbers, in gambols.
My informant asserts that he saw once not less than fifty so engaged;
hooting, screaming, and drumming with sticks upon old logs, which is
done in the latter case with equal facility by the four extremities.
They do not appear ever to act on the offensive, and seldom, if ever
really, on the defensive. When about to be captured, they resist by
throwing their arms about their opponent, and attempting to draw him
into contact with their teeth." (Savage, l. c. p. 384.)

With respect to this last point Dr. Savage is very explicit in another
place: "Biting" is their principal art of defence. I have seen one man
who had been thus severely wounded in the feet.

"The strong development of the canine teeth in the adult would seem
to indicate a carnivorous propensity; but in no state save that of
domestication do they manifest it. At first they reject flesh, but
easily acquire a fondness for it. The canines are early developed, and
evidently designed to act the important part of weapons of defence. When
in contact with man almost the first effort of the animal is--'to bite'.

"They avoid the abodes of men, and build their habitations in trees.
Their construction is more that of 'nests' than 'huts', as they have
been erroneously termed by some naturalists. They generally build not
far above the ground. Branches or twigs are bent, or partly broken,
and crossed, and the whole supported by the body of a limb or a crotch.