New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-21

recently published volume of Wentworth, the
famous South American explorer. wentworth
tells many interesting things concerning the
monkeys OF Southeastern Brazil These monkeys,
the Lagothrix of Humboldt, have tails which
are remarkably prehensile we'll as strong.
Wentworth saw a chain of thirty-two of these
monkeys reaching from near the top Of one tall
tree to another on the opposite side OF stream
Of considerable width. Ii was made by each
monkey securely grasping the tail OF the monkey
in front Of him. the first monkey on one side hold
ing TO the tree branch with his tail ana the last
on the other side cinging with his hands. IL
was finally broken by an inJudlclous monkey
near the middle relaxing his hold with one hand
to rub his ear, and afterward ten oil them swung
for some time, the suspension OF the entire weight
depending on the tail of the first monkey, winch
was wound tightly around the limb Of the tree.
This is only one Of the many curious and inter-
esting things related By Wentworth
The proposition which Professor Balston puts
forward is that in 10000 years Tor 100000, or
900, 600, If you are not satisfied we may ma
that monkeys have given up the practice oil
swinging by their tails from tree-tops, and that
the trick has been learned by the elephants. At
present. the Professor hastens TO explain, no
thought is further from the mind OF sane ana
wcll-baanced elephant than that Of swinging rom
a high branch by his tail. lie quotes authors,
reaching from Stanley back to Plny the Elder 70
sustain his position. The statement made by the
Rev Mr. Talmage, that during his recent WISH
TO the Holy Land he saw elephants thus play-
fully suspend themselves from the branches OF
olive trees, the Professor denounces as pre-
poserous-in fact, he considers il n Joke, Dut one
unworthy the great Brooklyn divine 1t being
settled, then, that the elephant never swings
by his TAIL nor, indeed, ever wraps lis tall
around branch and tries to raise himself, the
Professor goes to show what q remarKapie
proof Of the evolution theory it will he when
two or three dozen elephants link themselves
together with their trunks and tails and form
o bridge across a navigable river
As TO what changes will take place in lOO,0OO
years TOR in 100000, or 1o.OooOoo-or more
we, OF course, cannot say, but some things wonld
seem TO make the outlook for the Professors theory
discouraging. That the elephant does not now
swing by his tail few or none will deny. Tile
next question that arises is. Why should he !!
What will induce the first elephant TO make the
attempt? The great weight Of the elephant VIII
work against the practice, and especially against
the attempt of the first elephant before his tan
has become strengthened by evolution. The
In the case OF a chain of ten elephants. as pro-
posed. the tail Of the first one must sustain the
enormous load of 10000 pounds, or tlArty-hVe
tons. The South American monkey does not
weigh above thirty pounds, though his tail Is
some three feet in length. We do not know II
Professor Balston expects the elephants tail to
develop in length in proportion to his weight on
the basis OF the monkey, but if he does, IL Will
give the future elephant tail approximately 100
feet in length This will be cumbersome, ana
the future Barnum exhibiting in Rhode Island
NAV find the tails of his elephants reaching over
into Massachusetts and Connecticut But we DO
not know that the Professor expects this; the
elephant of the future may be provided Simply
with n neat but not gaudy tail from twelve 10
twenty-five feet long. Science in the nineteenth
century is not proceeding on jog trot, Dut oy
leaps and bounds; indeed. we may say ,na'
science is suspending itself by its tail from the
highest branches and swinging boldly from tree
IN