146 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



am's lap. Her first act was to poke her nose at the coffee-urn. This 

 evoked a squeak of pain. It was supposed that she had had enough. 

 Not quite. Her next essay was on a cup of hot coffee, with a similar 

 result. She now smelt the contents of the sugar-bowl. This discovery 

 so excited that "sweet will" of hers that instant removal became im- 

 perative. Later in the day she tried to capture a wasp. She struck 

 it down, and held it a second under her foot. This was met by an ap- 

 peal addressed solely to her understanding, of so pointed a nature as 

 made her chatter with distress. Disabled in one wing, the insect could 

 not fly away. Although still smarting from the wounded foot, the 

 moral of the lesson is only half learned. Coati cannot give "little 

 yellow-jacket " up. So she tries the wasp again this time with her 

 nose. Alas, that sting ! Miss Nasua now finds that other little folks, 

 besides herself, can utilize their tails ; for, in px*oof of this, she receives 



Fig. 10. 



is 



*-,' 



5 X2ft ;#;// , 



2^ 



T7te Sai (Cebus capucinus). One of the South American Papajous. The tail prehensile, but probably 

 not more so than that of the Kinkajou, the close ally of Coati-Mondi. 



not merely a duplicated, but an intensified experience, such as exacts 

 a staccato out gush of agony, of truly simian expression. We can re- 

 call but one lesson which she took sincerely to heart. The old cow 

 was quietly ruminating near the house. With her usual temerity, for 

 she was always ready to " go it blind," Coati made an attempt to climb 

 one of Cushie's legs. The cow raised her foot to shake the annoyance 

 off, and in setting it down she put her hoof on Nasua's tail, and there 

 standing, gravely ruminating, held her fast to the ground. Her rapid, 

 chattering cry brought one of the ladies to her rescue. The tail was 

 very badly hurt. Ever after, between Coati and Cushie, a respectful 

 distance was maintained. 



We now call attention to one of the most interesting facts in 

 modern zoology. Agassiz pointed out, with much precision, the ex- 



