Memoir's for a natural history of animals containing the anatomical descriptions of several creatures dissected by the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris / Englished by Alexander Pitfeild ... ; to which is added an account of the measure of a degree of a great circle of the earth, published by the same Academy and Englished by Richard Waller ...

THE ANATOMICAL DESCRIPTION OF TWO SAPAJOUS AND TWO OTHER MONKEYS

THe Species of Apes are very numerous. Pliny reduces them under two Genus's, viz. those which have Tails, and those which have none. The Tail-less Ape is by the Latines simply called Simi•…•…. Those which have a Tail are of two Species. The Latines have borrowed of the Greeks the names which they do give them: for some are called Cercopitheci, from the name of the Genus, that is to say, Tailed-Apes; others Cynocephali that is to say, which have a head like a D•…•…g, by reason of the length of their Nose. The differences of Apes are taken in French, principally from their size; for the great ones are simply called Singes or Apes, whether they have a Tail or no; or whether they have a long Nose like a Dog, or a short one; and the little Apes are called Guenons or Monkeys.

The four Apes which we describe were of the Genus of the Cercopitheci, because that they had Tails. But their smalness permitts them to be ranged only under the Genus of Monkies.

They were but fourteen inches from the Crown of the Head to the begin∣ing of the Tail, which was twenty inches; The Arm had four inches; from the Elbow to the end of the fingers, was six inches: the Thigh four and a halfe: the Leg five, and the Foot four, from the Heel to the end of the long∣est Toe. They did likewise all agree in several other things, which are common almost to all Apes. viz. 1. That they had Hairs on each Eye-lid, which Aristole has observed to be peculiar to the Ape, among the Quadrupeds. These Haires according to Aristotle's observation, were so fine that it was hard to descern them.

2. That in the lower Jaw there was a Pouch or Sack on each side into

which these Animals used to put what they would keep. 3. That the Teeth were very white, and like Man's, except the Canini, which were very long in the upper Jaw, and very strait in the lower Jaw, being without Point and differing from the Incisores, only in their being straiter and longer. 4. That the Feet were almost like the Hands, as they generally are in other Brutes, the Toes of the Feet being as long as those of the Hands; which is not in Man, whose Toes are two thirds shorter than his Fingers. The Feet of our Apes did indeed more resemble the Hands of Man than their own, by rea∣son of the conformation of the great Toe, which resembled a Thumb, being long, slender, and a great way parted from the first Finger; whereas in the Hand or Paw, the Thumb was so short, and so close to the first Finger, that it seemed almost useless. 5. That the Parts of generation in three of our Subjects, which were Males, were different from those of Man, there being no Scrotum in two of these Subjects, and the Testicles not appearing by reason that they were hid in the fold of the Groyne. It is true that the third, which was one of the Sapajous, had a Scrotum, but it was so shrunk, that it did not appear. 6. That the Skin stuck close on the Buttocks.

The three Males differed only in Colour of their Hair. The fourth Sub∣ject, which was a Female was of the Cynocephali kind; not having a flat Face like the others, but a Nose somewhat long like little Bolonia Dogs. Yet its long Tail did make it to be of the Cercopitheci kind like the others, whose dif∣ferences amongst the Ancients were taken from the Colour of the Hair; the Cercopitheci simply called, being those which have but one Colour; and those which have several being called Cepi, that is to say Gardens, by reason of the diversity of Colours wherewith they seem to be flowered and Imbroidered, as •…•…lian reports Pythagoras to have sayd.

The first of our Apes was of the first Species of the Cercopitheci, being all of one Colour, viz. of a Red somewhat inclining to a Green. This colour which was predominant, was only a little darker on the Back, and lighter on the Breast and Belly.

The second was of the second Species, because that besides the Greenish-Red colour of the Hair which covered the Back, the Hair which adorned the Belly, Breast, and inside of the Thighs and Arms was Gray.

The third and fourth were likewise more diversified with Colours: This Species is called Sapajou. These two Subjects were different, not only in colour and the various shape of their Spots, but also in the Forme of their Nose, which was long in the one, and flat in the other. The first, which was a Male, was white on the Belly, Stomach, Throat, on the inside of the Armes and Thighs, and on the Buttocks. All the Back from the Ompolatae to the Tail, was of a dark-Red. The Flanks, the outside of the Armes and Thighs, the Leggs and Crown of the Head were Black, and every black Hair had also little Red and White Spots, there being two Red Spots towards the end, and the half towards the root being white. On the Chin there was a white Picked Beard, an inch long. The Hair on the Back was an inch in length; about the Neck an inch and a halfe; it was in this place more Staring than in the rest of the Body, and made as it were a Ruffe. The Brow had a White list, on which a row of Black Hair was elevated like Eye-Brows. The Iris in the Eyes was of a Redish Yellow. The Pupilla was very large.

The Head was round, with a kind of a flat Face, resembling the Visage of a Man with a short and Flat Nose.

The other Sapajou, which was a Female, had the Nose long inclining to the Cynocephali. Its Hair was of three colours, viz. Red, Gray, and a dark Chest-Nut. The Belly and Breast were mixt with Red and Gray. The Armes and Leggs were of a dark Chestnutt; the Back had the Chestnut and Red mixt together, so that in some places there was more Red, in others more Chestnut; which made great Spots almost as in Cats. It had neither the White on the Fore-head nor the Beard, as the other Sapajou.

The Ears of the first Sapajou were round and so small, that round the hole they were not extended above a line and a half, being intirely covered with the Hair. The Writers of Physiognomie, have thereon apparently Found∣ed the Judgement which they do make of little round Ears, which they do put as a sign of a deceitful and Villanous temper, such as is the Apes.

Authors do not agree touching the internal parts of the Ape. Aristotle, Pliny and Galen do averr that they are wholly like to those of Man. Albertus do's on the contrary affirm, that as much as Apes are like to Man on the outside, so much are they unlike in the inside: So that there is no Animal, as he sayes, which has the intrails so different from Mans as the Ape. The Observations which we have made are repugnant to both these Opinions, which are both too extream. Yet we found that our Apes did more resemble Man in the ex∣ternal parts than in the internal, and that there are more Animals which have the inward parts as like to those of Man as our Apes, than there are which do as much resemble Man, as our Apes do, in their exteriour figure.

The Rings or Holes of the Peritonaeum were as in Dogs; the Epiploon was different from that of a Man, in several things. 1st. It was not fastened to the Colon in so many places, having no connexion with the left part of this In∣testine. •…•…d. It had another Ligature which is not found in Man, viz. to the Muscles of the Abdomen by means of the Peritonaeum, which formed a Liga∣ment, which we have observed in the Hinde of Canada. 3d. The Vessels of the Epiploon, which in Man proceed only from the Vena Porta, did neverthe∣less in one of our Subjects come from the Cava, having there one of the Bran∣ches of the Hypogastrica, which was united to the Branches of the Porta. 4th. In fine the whole Epiploon was without comparison greater than it ge∣nerally is in Man, because that it did not only cover all the Intestines, which is rarely seen in Man, whatever Galen says, but it even inveloped them un∣derneath, as it do's in several other Brutes; where it is frequently seen that the Epiploon is larger than in Man, especially in Animals which do run, and leap with a great deal of Agility; as if it were so redoubled under the Intest∣ines, to defend them, with the rest of the Bowels, against the rude joults which these Parts do receive in running. It is true that the Membranes of the Epiploon were intire and continued as in Man, and not perforated like a Net, as they are in the generality of Brutes.

The Liver which is one of the principal Viscera, was very different from the Liver of Man, having five Lobes as in a Dog, viz. two on the right side, and two on the left, and a fifth layd upon the right part of the Body of the Vertebrae. This last was divided, making as it were two leaves. In one of our Subjects, the Substance of the Liver was speckled with several spots of a dar∣ker

colour than the rest, and of an Hexagonal Figure; which we have very frequently seen in Brutes, and never in Men. The Bladder was fastened to the first of the two Lobes, which were on the right side. It was an Inch long, and half an Inch broad; it had a great Ductus, which was immediate∣ly inserted underneath the Pylorus: This Ductus received three others, which instead of that which in Man is single, and which is called Hepaticus; these three Ductus's had their Branches dispersed like Roots into all the Lobes of the Liver, so that the first had four Roots, viz. one in each of the three right Lobes, and one in the first of the left; the second and third Ductus had both their Roots in the second of the left Lobes; these Branches did run under the Tunicle of the Liver, so that they were apparent, and not hid in the Parenchyma, as they generally are. The Sapagou had this particularity in its Liver, that it was marked with a great many black Spots: which is unusual in other Li∣vers that we have found spotted; for they are always of a lighter Colour than the rest of the Substance of the Liver: It is probable, that this blackness proceeded from the spongyness of these Parts, which being imbued with a greater abundance of Blood than the rest of the Parenchyma, did thereby ap∣pear more dark.

The Ventricle did likewise differ from a Mans, its inferiour Orifice being ve∣ry large and low; for it was not elevated so high as the superiour, as it is in Man; where it is not called inferiour by reason of its situation, but because it is thro' this Passage that the Ventricle is emptyed.

The Intestines were hardly more like the Intestines of Man than the other Parts. In the Sapajous they were in all but five Foot two Inches long, and in the other two Apes eight; they were almost all of the same bigness; the Ileon was in Proportion a great deal bigger than in Man. The Caecum had no Vermiform Appendix; it was very large, containing two Inches and a half in length, and an Inch Diameter at its beginning: It went pointing, and was fortified by three Ligaments like as the Colon is in Man, there to form little Cells: This conformation is wholly different from that of a Man's Cae∣cum. The Colon had its Cells as usual, but it was not redoubled like an S, as in Man, being quite strait. It had not the contracting which separates it from the Rectum in Man. Besides the Cells there was observed some leaves on the in∣side, like to those which are seen in the Colon of the Ostrich, and which we have lately remarked in the Iejunum of Man. These Leaves were transversely ex∣tended, abutting on the Ligaments which are extended along this Intestine. It was thirteen Inches long, and an Inch diameter.

The Spleen was seated along the Ventricle as in Man, but its Figure was different in one of our Subjects, being made as the Heart is represented in Bla∣zonry. Its Basis contained an Inch. The Pancreas had only its Figure which made it to resemble that of Man, its connexion and insertion being wholly particular; for it was strongly fastened to the Spleen, and the insertion of its Ductus into the Intestine, which in Man is always near the Porus bilarius, was two Inches distant therfrom.

The Kidneys had a Figure and Situation not less extraordinary. They were round and flat; their situation was more unequal than in Man, the right being much lower, in respect of the left, viz. half its bigness. The Gland called Capsula Atrabilaria was very visible, by reason that the Kidney was without Fat. This Gland was white, and the Kidney of a bright Red; its Figure was Triangular.

Aristotle says, that the generative Parts of the Ape do resemble those of the Dog. In our Subjects we found that they were different therefrom, as well as from those of Man; for in the Males, the Penis had no Bones, as it has in the Dog; and the Testicles, which in some of our Subjects were hid in the Groyn, without any Scrotum, as has been say'd, had a very particular Figure, being long and strait, and but one line in breadth and eight in length. In one of the Sapajous they were found of a Figure quite contrary, and al∣most as remote from the Figure of those of Man, being perfectly round; they were shut up in a Scrotum, which joyned them close up to the root of the Pe∣nis. The glandulous Prostatae were small; the Parastatae Cyrsoides were in re∣quital very large; they contained an Inch in length; their breadth was un∣equal, being four Lines towards the Neck of the Bladder, and a Line and a half at the other end, differing herein from those of Man, who has them slenderest near the Neck of the Bladder. They were composed of several little baggs, which opened into one another: the Caruncle of the Urethra was small, but very like to that of Man.

The generative Parts of the Female had also a great many things which rendered them different from those of Bitches, herein resembling those of Women; there were some of them likewise which were as in Bitches, and af∣ter another manner than in Woman; for the exteriour Orifice was round and strait, as in Bitches, and the generality of other Brutes, and had neither Nym∣phae nor Carunculae. The Neck of the Bladder had its hole otherwise than in Woman, being very far in the Neck of the Matrix, viz. towards the middle, at the place where its roughness began, which were seen only towards the ex∣tremitie of the Ductus near the Internal Oriface. The Truncks of the Ma∣trix were also different from those of Women, and resembling those of Brutes in that they were proportionably longer, and more redoubled by various turnings. The Clitoris had somthing more conformable to that which is seen in other Brutes that have it, than in that of Women, being proportion∣ably greater, and more visible than it is in Women. It was composed of two Nervous and Spongious Ligaments, which proceeding from the lower part of the Os Pubis, and obliquely advanceing to the sides of these Bones, did unite to forme a third Body, which was ten lines in length. It was form∣ed by uniting of the two first, which a very strong Membrane joyned to∣gether, going from one of the Ligaments to the other, besides a hard and Nervous Membrane which inveloped them. They terminated at a Gland like to that of the Penis of the Male. The little Muscles, which were fastn∣ed to these Ligaments, proceeded as usual from the tuberosities of the Ischi∣um. These Ligaments were of Substance so thin and Spongious, that the wind penitrated, and made them easily to swell, when blown into the Net∣work of the Veins and Arteries which is in this place. This Network was visible in this Subject, being composed of larger Vessells than they propor∣tionably are in Women. It was situated as usually under the second pair of Muscles of the Clitoris. Its Figure was Pyramidal, ending from a very large Basis in a point, which run along the third Ligament to its extremity towards the Gland

The rest of the Parts of Generation were like to those of Women. The Neck of the Bladder had its Muscles as in Women: For there were a great Number of fleshy Fibres, which proceeding from the Sphincter of the Anus, were fastned to the sides of the Neck of the Uterus, and other such like Fibres which did come from the Sphincter of the Bladder to insert themseves at the same place. The body of the Uterus, its Membranes, internal Orifice, its Ligaments as well the Round as Broad, and all its Vessells had a conforma∣tion intirely like to that, which these same parts have in Women. The Testicles, which were ten lines long and two broad, were as in Women, composed of a great Number of small Bladders, and fastned near the Mem∣branes which are at the extremity of the Tubae and which is called their Fringe.

The Duggs resembled those of Women, as well in what respects their situation, which was on the Musculi Pectorales, as in what appartains to their composition, which consisted of a Glandulous Body, and a Teat.

At the place where the Vena Cava is divided to produce th two Iliacks, there was a Gland of the Figure and bigness of a middling Olive, containing five lines in length and three in breadth, Black on the outside, and much more on the inside. It was moistned with a Lymphatick Humour, wherewith its Spongious Substance was filled. In this •…•…ame Subject, which was one of the two first Monkeys, there were two other such like Glands, but smaller, towards the Origine of the Crurals, one on each side.

At the opening of the Breast, there was found a great abundance of Water dispersed over its whole capacity. The Thymus was very large. The Lungs had seven Lobes, three on the right side, and as many on the left: the seventh was in the Cavitie of the Mediastine, as in the generality of Brutes. This again makes a Notable difference between the internal parts of the Ape and those of Man, whose Lungs have generally at the most but five Lobes, often∣er but four, and sometimes but two. Vesalius affirmes that he never saw in Man this fifth Lobe, which he reports to be in Apes, supposing that they have but five. This great Number of Lobes of the Lungs clearly evinceth that Anatomists haue no reason to say that Brutes have the Lungs divided into more Lobes than Man, by reason that they have the Face and Breast turned towards the Earth, seeing that the Ape has generally the Face and Breast like a Mans.

The Heart was a great deal more Pointed than it usually is in Man: which is likewise a Character of Brutes. Yet in the interiour Superficies of its Ventricles it had that great Number of Fibres and fleshy Columns which are seen in Man.

The Uvula, which is in no other Brutes, was found in our Apes wholly re∣sembling that of Man.

The Cranium had a Figure very conformable to a Mans, being round and somewhat flat at the sides, and wanting that Triangular Bone which sepa∣rates the Cerebrum from the Cerebellum in most Brutes.

The Brain was large in proportion to the Body. It weighed two ounces and a half. The Dura Mater entred very far to Form the Falx. The An∣fractuosities of the external part of the Brain were very like those of Man in the Anteriour part; but in the hinder part towards the Cerebellum, there was

hardly any: They in requital were much deeper in proportion. The Apo∣physes, which are called Mamillares, which are great Nerves that do serve to the Smelling, were not soft as in Man, but hard and Membranous. The Optick Nerves were also of a Substance harder and firmer than ordinary. The Glandula Pinealis was of a Conical figure, and its point was turned to∣wards the hinder part of the Head.

There was no Rete mirabile: for the Carotides being entred into the Brain, went by one single Trunck on each side of the edg of the seat of the Sphenoides to pierce the Dura mater, and to be distributed as usually into the Basis of the Brain.

To finish the Description as well of the external as internal parts of the Apes which we dissected, by comparing them with those of Man, we have made an accurate search after all the Muscles of these Animals, which we found for the most part agreable to those of Man: So that we do here relate only those things which we found particular in our Subjects.

The Muscles of the Face, in that which participated of the Cynocephalus had a great deal of similitude with those of Doggs; and in the Apes, which had the Face flat like Man, it had nevertheless some Muscles like to those of Brutes: as amongst others the Masseter's and Crotophitae, which were a great∣deal larger in proportion than in Man,

The Muscles of the Os Hyoides, Tongue, Larynx and Pharynx, which do most serve to articulate a word, were wholly like to those of Man, and a great deal more than those of the Hand; which nevertheless the Ape, which speaks not, uses almost with as much perfection as Man: which Demonstrates that speech is an Action more peculiar to Man, and which more distinguish∣es him from the Brutes than the Hand; which Anaxagoras, Aristotle and Galen have thought to be the Organ which Nature has given to Man as to the wisest of all Animals, for want perhaps of making this Reflection. For the Ape is found provided by Nature of all these Marvellous Organs of speech with so much exactness, that the very three small Muscles which do take their rise from the Apophysis Styloides, are not wanting, altho this Apo∣physis be extreamly small. This particularitie do's likewise shew that there is no reason to think that Agents do performe such and such Actions, be∣cause they are found with Organs proper thereunto: For according to these Philosophers Apes should speake, seeing that they have the Instruments ne∣cessary for speech.

In the Muscles of the Head and Neck there was nothing particular but the Flexores of the Head, which in Man are inserted into the Apophysis Mastoides: For they were fastned to the lateral and hinder part of the Os Occipitis, because that the Head of the Ape has no Apophysis Mastoides. Amongst the Muscles of the Armes there was only the Palmaris that had any thing remarkable. It was extraordinary large. The great Serratus, which in Man takes its rise only from the Omoplatae, did in our Subjects proceed likewise from the fourth, fifth, and sixth Vertebrae of the Neck.

The Musculus Rectus, which in Man reaches only to the Basis of the Ster∣num, did ascend to the top, passing under the Pectoralis and little Serrtaus. It was fleshy only to the half of the Sternum, the rest being but a meer Tendon.

In the Thigh that of the Quadrigemini (which do serve to throw out the Thigh) called Pyriformis, was a great deal smaller than in Man; and in stead of taking its rise from the lower and external part of the Os Sacrum, it pro∣ceeded from the Ischium near the Cavitas Cotyloides. The Muscles of the Buttocks had a Figure different from those of Man, being shorter, by reason that the Ossa Iliam Apes are much straiter than in Man. On the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Pso•…•…e there were two other little Muscles, which are not found in Man. Every of these Muscles having the same Origine as the Psoas, did come by a long Tendon to insert it self into the upper and inward part of the Os Pubis.

Amongst the Muscles of the Leg, that of its Flexores, which is called Bi∣ceps, had not a double Origine as in Man. It proceeded intire from the knob of the Ischium, and was inserted into the upper part of the Perona. This single Head was in requital very thick and strong.

The great Toe had Muscles like to those of a Mans Thumb, even as it has the Action thereof: Which is not in the Foot of Man, where the great Toe has Muscles very different from those of his Thumb, because that the Actions of these two parts are in Man very different.

To the History of the Muscles of the Ape might be added the Description of the Pouch, which they have in their Mouth. It was composed of Mem∣branes and Glands, and of a great many Musculous and Carnous Fibres. Its situation was on the out side of each Jaw, reaching obliquely from the middle of the Jaw to the under part of its Angle, passing under a part of the Muscle called Latissimus. It was an inch and a half long, and almost as broad towards its bottom. It opened into the Mouth between the bottom of the Jaw and the bottom of the Gumme. Tis into this Pouch that Apes use to put what they would keep; and it is probable that the Musculous, Fibres which it has, do serve to shut and open it, to receive and put our what these Animals do there lay up in Reserve.