Macacus erythræus, Schl., Mus. Pays-Bas., vii, p. 112 1876; (part).
Characters.—Larger and more strongly-built than M. rhesus. Fur moderately long, wavy, woolly (in some specimens), and without rings; the hair of the crown radiating from the centre of the forehead outwards and backwards; the hair round the face and on the chin rather long; that on and between the shoulders, and on the sides of the chest, longer than on the hind part of the body; hairs on the lower part of the flanks rather long; tail about, or less than, half the length of the body, not tufted, but longer, smaller, and much less densely furred than in M. rhesus; callosities surrounded by fur; ears tufted, and haired inside; beard well developed; face and ears dusky. Length, 26¾ inches; tail, 9¼ inches.
The fur above differs from that of M. rhesus, in the anterior half being uniform dark brown, wanting the ashy-grey tint; and the hinder portion brown, without the rufous seen in M. rhesus; the outside of the fore-limbs, the back of the neck, and region between the shoulders, brown, washed with yellowish or golden; upper surface of head pale yellowish-brown; flanks, front of fore-limbs, outer aspect of thighs, back of feet and tail, darker; under surface of body and inside of limbs yellowish-grey or greyish-yellow; behind the angle of the mouth, below and behind the ears, and on the chin, the hairs are yellowish-grey, tipped with black; face and callosities, pale flesh-coloured.
The skull and skeleton agree closely with those of M. rhesus, but are somewhat larger. Canine teeth long, and deeply grooved in front.
Distribution.—This Macaque inhabits the Himalayan ranges as far west as Masuri, or perhaps further, from near the base of the hills to a considerable elevation (Blanford); it extends eastwards from the Nepal Region of the Himalaya through Assam and the north-eastern portion of Bengal into the upper or hilly portion of the valley of the Irawady. (Anderson.) This species is said to have its home generally between 3,000 and 6,000 feet above the sea. Dr. Anderson obtained on the Irawady, 25 miles below Bhamo, a female out of a large colony "living below the huge Deva-faced limestone cliff, at the foot of which lies the small pagoda of Sessoungan. The crews of passing boats and pious visitors generally throw rice and fruits to these Monkeys as a work of merit."
Habits.—This species probably represents a Himalo-Burman race or sub-species of M. rhesus. Its habits are much the same as those of that species, but it is said to have a slightly different voice and to be more sluggish, according to Blanford.
X. THE BENGAL MACAQUE. MACACUS RHESUS.
Simia rhesus, var. Audeb., Hist. Nat. Singes, Fam. ii., Sec. i., p. 5, pl. i. (1797).
Simia erythræa, Schreber, Säugeth, Suppl., pl. 8, fig. c.
Macacus erythræus, Cuv., Hist. Nat., Mamm., pl. xxxviii. (young; Oct., 1819); pls. xxxix. (1821) and xl. (1825; male); Gerv., Hist. Nat., Mamm., p. 91 (figs. ♂ and ♀; heads; 1834); Swinhoe, P. Z. S., 1870, p. 226; Schl., Mus. Pays-Bas, vii., p. 112 (1876).