Very old males are darker in colour, with the upper part of the head brownish-black, the front whitish. Old females are smaller; the young are silky and nearly white all over.
Closely related and very similar to S. hosii, but the cheeks do not form a connected white area with the white forehead, the space being broken by a black band from the edge of the mouth to the ear (in the young male and in the female). In the old male the upper parts of the cheeks are quite black. Length of body, 24½ inches; tail, about 32 inches.
Distribution.—The present species was discovered in the Langkat district in the North-east of Sumatra, by Mr. Iversen, a Norwegian traveller in that island, and is named after Mr. Oldfield Thomas, the well-known Mammalogist of the British Museum.
Habits.—These Monkeys live in small companies composed of both sexes, in the highest trees in dry spots of the forest, never descending of their own accord to the ground, nor visiting the rice-fields, as their food appears to consist exclusively of fruits. They may be met with, according to Mr. Iversen, the discoverer of this species, at all seasons of the year in the same parts of the forest. They hardly ever visit the more open places, but keep to the highest tree-tops, and make most astonishing leaps from one branch to another. Those observed were very shy, and, on being perceived, would seek to hide in the leafy tops of the trees, even leaving their young exposed on the lower branches. The mother carries her young one under her belly. The species was often observed in company with the Siamang (Hylobates syndactylus), but not with other Monkeys.
XII. EVERETT'S LANGUR. SEMNOPITHECUS EVERETTI.
Semnopithecus everetti, Thomas, P. Z. S., 1892, p. 582, pl. xli.; Hose, Mamm. Born., p. 15 (1893).
(Plate XXXVI.)
Characters.—Very closely allied and very similar to S. hosii in size and coloration, but the white is everywhere replaced by dull cream-colour, giving a yellowish wash to the mixed grey of the back and tail; shoulders and middle of back darker; under surface of body and light parts of head cream-colour, instead of white; whole of the forehead and top of the head black, the lower limit of the black passing across the middle of the ear; entire back of neck black; spot in the centre of the forehead above where the eyebrows meet, yellowish-white. The colour of the face, cheeks, and sides of the neck, in contrast to the dark crown, distinguish this species from S. chrysomelas. Length of body, 21¾ inches; of tail, 25¾ inches. (Thomas.)
"Since Mr. Thomas described this Monkey," writes Mr. C. Hose in his "Mammals of Borneo," "I have obtained several other specimens, ... and the marking is quite constant."
PLATE XXXVI.