The Florence daily tribune., 1898-11-02
MONKEYS OF INDIA.
THE HAVOC THEY CAUSE HY THEIR
WARS FOR WIVES.

keys at nartA.
| Monkeys in India arc an unmitiRated
nuisance. especially In the country.
have often come across In the jungles
adjoining the villages Of northern Ban
gal whole troops Of them. whose deprs-
dations In fields and orchards wore the
despair Of the unfortunate Villagers.
These troops always consisted of ono
huge male and about 100 females. The
fact Ia. when little monkey is born in
the pack, 1t Is suffered to live il fe-
male, but instantly killed by the father
II II happens to be q male, The mother,
however, sometimes manages to hide
the little one until he is able to ges
about and then sends him away before
the big male catches sight Of him. In
this way it often happens that indi-
vidual males are to be found living by
| themselves In single blessedness. Now.
getting tired Of solitude after time
and perhaps believing in union az q
| source OF strength, these bachelors often
join together and form pack Of their
own-as sort of club
Then the fun begins They want
wives-very naturally. But COW nre
they TO get them9 All the female
monkeys Of the country belong to ths
harem Of some big brute or other.
Clearly, the only solution is to attack
s..sh hs:e:: Kill IL. .ss ,.i tho .forv-
said big brute), and then divide the
spoils So an ultimatum is sent-and
rejected. War is declared. The battle
Is fierce one aud often lasts several
luv ha ~.
to retreas and often trayerses several
jungies, fields and even villages But
the pursuit is hot and vigorous and at
last stand has to be made-sometimes
In village green or even an orchard OF
some country mansion. In the actual
fight the females generally remain
faithful to their lord and master and
help him feroely against his numerous
assailants. But the result is foregone
conclusion. and the several widowa
after very short period Of mourning
usually manifested by show of i'll
temperate oonsoled by the victorious
males
Now, these battles cause sad havoc to
the fields and orchards Of the country
and often prove positive danger to the
people. for, though monkeys seldom at
tack men, woe to the luckless ono who
ventures to come near them IN their
deadly struggle Moreover, when pressed
by hunger, these packs are not to be
trified with. You may not mind even
the damage done to your orchard BY
hundreds of monkeys gobbling up every
thing they can lay their hands on, but
1t is quite different matter when you
have to shut your doors and windows
and stay in for days at a time because Of
the army outside.
Consequently the object Of the natives
e TO break up these packs B.; capturing
their leaders. Killing Ia against the die
tates Of conscience, but capture IL not,
especially a. the monkey is liberated in
Z short time, AZ will appear presently.
So, when pack Is about, the natives en-
ploy the following method: Close to an
orchard bit Of level space is selected
and q hole dug In 1t, about Q feet deep
and or 8 inches in diameter. A moose
il made at one end of long, stout cord
and placed over the mouth Of the hole.
The cord is then passed through pulley
or ring attached to tree close to tho
house and the other end held come dis
tanoe away by q concealed person, The
moose and about 10 or Is feet u tho
cord are covered with sand. Then nice,
tempting banana il placed in tho hole,
and number Of rotten ones-covered,
however, with fresh skins-are strewn
all over the ground near the hole.
When the pack comes, the females
are too shy to venture out into the open
space near the house, but the big gotha
is brave fellow. He sees the bananas
on tho ground. leape down. takes up ono.
throws II away in disgust, then another,
with the same result. Suddenly ne no.
tioes the Moe, tempting one In the hole,
and plunges his arm in. Immediately
the cord is pulled, the moose fastened
ON the arm close to the shoulder and the
monkey dragged willy nilly to the treo
where the pulley or ring 10 attached.
Then the hiding shikari comes forth,
and, circling round and round the tree
with the cord held tight in his hand.
binds the unfortunate monkey safe aud
fast. all but the head. The pulley OF
ring is introduced not merely to bind
the monkey to the tree, but also because
It would be highly dangerous to drag
the Infatuated brute right up to . per-
son.
The monkey. however, Is not killed.
Instead they lather his head and face,
no special care being taken in selecting
the finest soap or the purest water. Tho
operation is an interesting one and
source Of great amusement-to the by
ISLANDERS The monkey, however, lodges
his head about, only to get good dose
Of soap in his eyes and mouth. Then he
has enough Of it, especially as he feels
dreadfully achy all over and the cords
cutting into his body every inch-to
say nothing of the personal remarks and
the highly adjeotival language Of the
bystanders. He submits to his fate with