MONKEY BOTANISTS

Evening Star, Issue 23124, 25 November 1938, Page 12

MONKEY BOTANISTS

GLIMBING FOR PLANTS By the help of monkey collectors the botanical sections in manv universities, museums, and institutes throughout the world are likely to be much enriched (states a London exchange). Two monkeys are now fully trained and employed by the Botanic Garden staff of the Straits Settlements to collect specimens of flowers, fruits, twigs, and leaves from the tall trees which have been so far almost unobtainable because of their remoteness from the ground. Already the monkeys have holoed in disclosing facts about flowers and fruits hitherto unknown to botanists became they had lain hidden beyond their reach in the tree tops. The monkeys, which have entered Government service, are heroks or pigtailed monkeys. This kind of monkey has been always used by the natives to collect coconuts. They are captured when young, and trained carefully for their job of twisting off the coconuts and dropping them to the ground. They have also been used to pluck mangoes and other products. Once showm what to seek they quicaly find it. Their aptitude for learning is wonderful. , ~ Botanists quickly conceived the idea of training them still further; and the two heroics which are now in commission have come to understand 12 words of Malay. These words are used to direct them towards the particular plant specimen which the observer on the around desires to possess. To" prevent these valuable. servants from disappearing in the tree-tops, they are tied, to a ISOft string, which is manipulated on the principle of the Tishina rod. It might he expected that the monkeys would get into difficulties with this long length of string, but this lliry do not do. Difficulties seldom arise, as the heroics follow' their way back along the route they went? by.