I wrote a little time ago asking you an odd question about elephants, and
now I am going to ask you an odder. I hope that you will not think me an
intolerable bore. It is most improbable that you could get me an answer,
but I ask on mere chance. Macacus silenus (455/1. Macacus silenus L., an
Indian ape.) has a great mane of hair round neck, and passing into large
whiskers and beard. Now what I want most especially to know is whether
these monkeys, when they fight in confinement (and I have seen it stated
that they are sometimes kept in confinement), are protected from bites by
this mane and beard. Any one who watched them fighting would, I think, be
able to judge on this head. My object is to find out with various animals
how far the mane is of any use, or a mere ornament. Is the male Macacus
silenus furnished with longer hair than the female about the neck and face?
As I said, it is a hundred or a thousand to one against your finding out
any one who has kept these monkeys in confinement.


LETTER 456. TO F. MULLER.
Down, August 28th [1870].

I have to thank you very sincerely for two letters: one of April 25th,
containing a very curious account of the structure and morphology of
Bonatea. I feel that it is quite a sin that your letters should not all be
published! but, in truth, I have no spare strength to undertake any extra
work, which, though slight, would follow from seeing your letters in
English through the press--not but that you write almost as clearly as any
Englishman. This same letter also contained some seeds for Mr. Farrer,
which he was very glad to receive.

Your second letter, of July 5th, was chiefly devoted to mimicry in