NATURAL HISTORY. 



23 



insects, and fruits. Its habits are, apparently, mild and in- 

 offensive, but its acts belie its looks, for when a small bird is 

 presented to it, it springs upon its prey like a cat and speedily 

 devours it. 



JACCHUS. (Gr. v la/i x \'or, Bacchus.) 



Vulgaris (Lat. common], the Marmoset. 



The MARMOSET is a most interesting little creature. It is 

 exceedingly sensitive to cold, and when in England is usually 

 occupied in nestling among the materials for its bed, which it 

 heaps up in one corner, and out of which it seldom emerges 

 entirely. It will eat almost any article of food, but is espe- 

 cially fond of insects, which it dispatches in a very adroit 

 manner.* Its fondness for insects is carried so far, that it has 

 been known to pinch out the figures of beetles in an entomo- 

 logical work, and swallow them. 



Several genera are omitted betAveen Callithrix and Jacchus. 



* The beautiful little marmoset in the Zoological Gardens ate a great number of 

 flies which I caught and presented to it. Its little eyes sparkled with eagerness each 

 time that it saw my hand moving towards a fly settled out of its reach. 



