The last and highest section of the monkeys (next to the anthropoid apes) is that of the Old World tribe Cercopsthecidz, if that family name is used, as is recently the custom, to cover all the formerly called ''catarrhine monkeys, dis tinguished by their obliquely-set nostrils, the nasal apertures being placed close together, and the nasal septum being narrow. Opposable thumbs and great toes exist in all, except the genus. Colobus, the members of which want thumbs. The teeth are arranged to exhibit four incisors two canines, four premolars and six i molars in each jaw; the incisors are prominent, and the canines are especially large and strong — the latter teeth being separated by an interval or diastema from the upper outer incisor, and from the first lower The tail may be rudimentary or wanting, but in no case is it pre hensile. Cheek-pouches, or pocket-like cavities excavated in the cheeks, which are used as receptacles for food preparatory to its mastica tion, are present in many; and the skin covering the prominences of the buttocks is frequently destitute of hair, becomes hardened and thus constitutes the so-called natal callosities of these animals. Sometimes these callosities exhibit brilliant colors, and the skin in the neighborhood of the nose, as in the mandrill, may also he striped with gay hues. In their distribution all the catarrhine monkeys inhabit Asia and Africa, a macaque inhabiting the Rock of Gibraltar, and called Barbary ape (q.v.).
Many of these monkeys are small or of mod erate size, handsome and graceful. Such are the African guenons, green monkeys and man gabeys (qq.v.) of the genera Cercopithecus and
Cercocebus. Neatly related to them are the macaques (q.v.) ; and the baboons (q.v.). These have cheek-pouches, and the fore limbs the longer. The genera without cheek-pouches and with the hind limbs longer than the fore limbs are the African thumbless genus Colobus, which contains the guerezas (q.v.) ; and the East In dian tribe Sentnopitheous which contains the Hindu sacred monkey or entellus (q.v.), the proboscis monkey, negro monkey and several others described elsewhere under their names, some of which are large and extraordinary.
These Old World monkeys are more varied in their food and activities than are those of America, and are far superior to them in intelli gence; consequently they furnish nearly all the pets, circus-performers and servants of wander ing musicians that we see from time to time. Many of them breed in captivity, adapt them selves well to civilized life and betray a sur prising ability to learn in various directions, though• prone to be inattentive, and growing dull and surly in old age. Few, however, when taken into cold climates live long, even when most carefully treated, as they seem peculiarly sus ceptible to diseases of the lungs, which usually have a fatal termination.
Excellent accounts of the monkeys of the world exist hi the 'Standard,' 'Royal,' 'Cas sell's,' and 'Allen's Natural Histories' ; the last and most recent being a. monograph by Forbes. Otherwise information must be gleaned mainly from the books of scientific travelers. •