The first order—The Tailless Apes—includes the Gorilla, the Orang-Outang, and the Chimpanzee, and is called by some, Troglodytidae, from the Greek word troglodytes, meaning one who hides in caverns. Although this is a peculiarity of these Apes, this does not seem so good a classification as that given by another Naturalist who calls these the Anthropomorphous Monkeys because they so closely resemble the human species; the word Anthropomorphous comes from two Greek words meaning man and form, and signifies that which has the form of man.
The second order is the Simiadae—The Ape Monkeys—and the term comes from the Greek word simos, meaning flat-nosed; these have oblong heads and flat nostrils, and the same number of teeth as man, and many of them have cheek pouches in which they stow away food for future use. A few of the Simiadae are without tails, others have tails (of different lengths in the different families), but none of them have prehensile tails, that can be used to help them in climbing. All the different families belonging to this order are natives of the Old World, and the most of them are found in the forests and the mountainous districts of Western Africa.
The third order—Cebidae—includes the American Monkeys; and they are distinguished from the Monkeys of the Old World by having four more grinding teeth, making thirty-six in all instead of thirty-two. These American Monkeys have long tails and no cheek-pouches.
The fourth order—Lemuridae—includes the different Lemurs, and the word comes from Latin lemur, a sprite, a night-walker, so called from their habits of roaming about at night.
Some naturalists include in this order the Flying Cat, or Flying Lemur. Others make a distinct fifth order of this species. Although they resemble both a weasel and an ape, they have one peculiar formation that does not belong to either of these; the long slender limbs are connected by a broad, hairy membrane, which looks like a cloak when folded up, but which expands and gives the appearance of wings when the animal is springing from tree to tree.
Although each one of these orders contain many small families, until the different Monkeys seem numberless, yet they can all be classified in some one of these groups, and it is not so hard to remember the long names when we understand the meaning of the words from which they are derived.
THE GORILLA—THE STRONGEST APE.
GORILLAS.
The Gorillas live in the hottest parts of Western Africa, and as their home is so near the Equator they search out the loneliest and shadiest parts of the dense African forests, and whenever it is possible they keep near a running stream. It is called a nomadic animal because it seldom remains in one place many days together. The reason for this wandering life, is the difficulty it finds in procuring its favorite food, which is fruit, seeds, nuts, and banana leaves, the young shoots of this plant, and the juice, of which it sucks, and other vegetable substances.