Gibbon, the smallest of the anthropoid apes

   The gibbon is the least specialized and the smallest of the four living types of anthropoid apes, is found in the Malay Península and its vicinity. The largest does not exceed three feet in height, and when standing upright, the animals can touch the ground with their fingers. The face of the gibbon is more like that of man than are those of the chimpanzee and gorilla, but the tusks are long and prominent. The hands and feet are long and slender. In disposition the gibbons are gentle, and, if captured young, are easily tamed. They are too delicate to stand a northern climate, but thrive well in captivity in India. The diet of the gibbon is very varied, fruits, leaves, shoots, insects, eggs, young birds, all being eagerly devoured. The genus Hylobates comprises several species. One of the best known gibbons is the hoolock (H. hoolock) of India. Another is the lar or wau-wau, H. lar, of Malaya. Both are remarkable for their powerful voices and the howling cries with which they salute the rising sun.

Gibbons