4 PRIMATES. 
1. Mycetes palliatus. 
Mycetes palliatus, Gray, P.Z.S. 1848, p. 188, t. vi. (descr. orig.)*; Sclater, Nat. Hist. Rev. 1861, 
p- 509°; Frantzius, Arch. f. Naturg. xxxv. 1, p. 254°; Sclater, P. Z.S. 1872, p. 7*; Schlegel, 
Mus. Pays-Bas, vii. p. 152°. 
Conyo of Costa-Ricans ; Congo, 6 Mono Chillon of Nicaraguans. 
Hab. Nicaracua, shores and islands of Lake Nicaragua (Sallé, Mus. Brit.2*); Costa 
Rica, Volcan Barba (Frantzius & Hoffmann, Mus. Berol.?*), Nicoya (Arcé, Mus. 
Brit.); Panama (Mus. Lugd.® ; Boucard). 
The Mantled Howler was first described and figured by the late Dr. Gray, from 
specimens which were said to have been sent from Caraccas by M. Sallé?, but which 
were really, as Mr. Sclater was informed by the collector himself, from the shores and 
islands of the Lake of Nicaragua?4. It has since been found in Costa Rica by 
Hoffmann and Frantzius and by Arcé; and a series of specimens have been received 
from Panama by the Leyden Museum and by M. Boucard. Mr. Salvin tells me that 
Captain Dow informed him that he once met with Howling Monkeys on the little 
island of Hicaron, which lies at the southern extremity of Quibo Island, off the coast 
of Veragua. The species would probably be MZ. palliatus; but it is difficult to under- 
stand how the founders of the colony could have reached this isolated spot from the 
mainland. South of the Isthmus the Mantled Howler appears to be replaced by the 
entirely distinct I. seniculus (Linn.), the only species known to inhabit Guiana, 
Venezuela, and Colombia. 
This species presents considerable variety in the depth of the black or brown-black 
ground-colour, and in the extent of the fulvous tints of the flanks and loins. Dr. v. 
Frantzius states that the Howlers which he saw in Costa Rica were darker than is 
indicated by Gray’s description®; and in several of the Panama examples the light 
markings are much reduced, but in others they are quite as conspicuous as in the 
Nicaraguan types. This is also the case in Arcé’s specimens from Nicoya; and I 
must therefore agree in Professor Schlegel’s conclusion® that the variation does not 
depend on locality. 
The habits of the Mantled Howler appear to be quite similar to those of the more 
southern species, as described by Rengger, Prince Maximilian, and others. According 
to Dr. v. Frantzius it shows the same preference for the topmost boughs of the trees 
of the dense primeval forests, and has a similar dull melancholy character, in conse- 
quence of which it is seldom kept in confinement. It easily reconciles itself to 
captivity, however; and a tamed male was observed to howl whenever rain-clouds 
gathered, and also regularly at five o’clock every morning. The flesh of this species 
is eaten by the Indians, and is said to be well-flavoured. Sefior Lévy observes that 
in Nicaragua this is the most harmless of the Monkeys, and does no damage to the 
' plantations (‘ Republica de Nicaragua,’ p. 196). 
