Page:The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma (Mammalia).djvu/40

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The family Hominidæ comprises but one genus, and, according to the views usually accepted, but one species, Man. Naturalists have differed as to the physical relations of Man to other animals, but most modern writers have returned to the views of Linnæus, and class Man with the Monkeys, but in a distinct family. No attempt will be made in the present work to enter into the anthropology of India; the subject requires a volume to itself.

The Cebidæ and Hapalidæ are confined to America. Representatives of the Simiidæ and Cercopithecidæ are found within the Indian area.

 

The Simiidæ, or anthropoid Apes, comprise the Gorilla, Chimpanzee, Orang-outang, and Gibbons. The first two are peculiar to Africa, the Orang-outang inhabits Sumatra and Borneo, whilst the Gibbons, forming the genus Hylobates, are found throughout South-eastern Asia and some of the neighbouring islands, but not west of the Bay of Bengal. They are tbe only members of the family occurring within our area.

In Pliocene times, however, it is probable that two large anthropoid Apes inhabited Northern India. One of these, Troglodytes sivalensis, was allied to the Chimpanzee, whilst a canine tooth indicates a form very closely approaching the Orang-outang. Remains of both have been found in the Siwalik beds of the Punjab.