HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



many a one may be seen adorned with a little 

 necklace, and pair of tiny earrings of gold and coral. 

 The marmoset is naturally afifectionate, and it soon 

 becomes attached to its owner. 



In the marmoset the emotions of rage, pleasure, 

 and fear are strongly developed. It exhibits three 

 distinct states of rage, the changes from one to the 

 other being abrupt. They are as follows : (i) when 

 slightly agitated (when shown to a stranger, or if any 

 attempt be made to forcibly handle her), expressed 

 by a slight chattering ; (2) a more pronounced stage 

 (when taken up suddenly by the hand), when she 

 chatters vigorously, and attempts to bite ; (3) an 

 extreme stage, when the chattering becomes most 

 vigorous, alternated frequently with shrill barks, and 

 determined attempts at biting, the whole body 

 trembles and is convulsed with fury. I can tell 

 immediately — if I am not in the same room — the 

 state she is in from her cries ; but lately she has 

 entirely given up the third stage, for which I am 

 thankful, as it could end fatally through the intense 

 excitement. 



Pleasure is expressed by whistling, and a peculiar 

 little gentle chatter ; when placed in the sun she will 

 assume all sorts of positions, and extend the limbs, 

 in order to literally bathe in the sunlight, and will 

 every now and then give vent to a loud and pro- 

 longed whistle from a widely distended mouth. I 

 have been able to produce this state latterly, by 

 imitating her whistle, when she will answer back. 

 She will whistle when she is gently caressed and 

 played with, and she will then be very playful, jump- 

 ing over your hand in the most eccentric manner, 

 and pretending to bite, every now and then dashing 

 off with tail erect, to return again immediately. At 

 such times she will play hide and seek round a book 

 or some other object with the greatest zest, and when 

 caught face to face will stop short and draw the skin 

 back from the face in a curious manner, as if to make 

 herself smaller, and so invisible. 



Fear is expressed by a sharp high whistle, which 

 resembles the screeching made by a pencil on a 

 slate. The sight of a dog will at once cause it to be 

 uttered. She appears much more timid of a dog 

 than of a cat ; but when brought face to face with 

 either will at once assume an attitude of defence, by 

 raising the body on the hind quarters, and preparing 

 to use her fore limbs and teeth. The sight of 

 " Sallie " (the chimpanzee in the Zoo) produced in 

 her the most abject fear, while she seemed anxious to 

 attack all the other monkeys. 



A looking-glass always amuses her. When looking 

 at her own reflection she will turn her head round 

 in a most curious manner, as if to examine the 

 reflection from all directions ; this movement of the 

 head will also take place when examining any very 

 strange object. She is very fond of having the scalp 

 raised by the fingers, and of having the long black 

 ear coverts twisted up, and will sit fur hours on my 



shoulder, whatever I may be doing. If left alone lor 

 long, she wears a most dejected air, and will, if 

 possible, go to bed. At night time she sleeps in a 

 little flannel bag lined with cotton wool, and it is 

 amusing, as evening approaches, to see how restless 

 she becomes. When released from her perch she 

 will make for the sofa on which is placed the bag, 

 and coil herself into it, only coming out at dinner 

 time for some sweets, and then sleeping until it is 

 daylight again. Should a bell be rung, a faint 

 whistle may be heard from the bed, although she is 

 asleep. 



In her habits she is extremely clean and regular. 

 Her staple food is bread and milk, but she is very 

 fond of insects and fruit, and the sight of apricot jam 

 causes great excitement, as she likes it better than 

 anything else. Her weight is nine ounces. 



I have never attempted to teach her many tricks, 

 but my aim has been to try to understand her ways ; 

 a better way I think of studying animal nature than 

 by devoting time to teaching tricks — which, after all, 

 are only learnt in a mechanical and vague manner. 

 If we try to understand them, we undoubtedly gain 

 their trust and affection. This timid little marmoset 

 will follow me about like a dog, though I never 

 encourage it. 



David Wilson-Barker. 



A VISIT TO THE BRIGHTON AQUARIUM. 

 By Edward A. Martin. 



IN spite of the care and attention which, in the 

 interest of the shareholders, is devoted towards 

 providing dramatic and musical entertainment for 

 the mental digestion of frequenters of the Brighton 

 Aquarium, the establishment still retains a high 

 position as a scientific collection of one of the most 

 useful divisions of the great vertebrate sub-kingdom. 

 One can scarcely lay blame on the shoulders of the 

 directors that the force of circumstances has compelled 

 them to neglect to a partial extent the true objects for 

 which the collection was founded. All shareholders 

 cannot afford to imitate the example of one of their 

 body, who returned dividends to the amount of a good 

 many pounds in order that the sum might be devoted 

 to the needs of pisciculture. The result of the present 

 policy has been that perhaps not one-eighth of those 

 who visit the Aquarium are in the slightest degree 

 interested in the scientific aspect of the institution, 

 whilst those who are so interested, are content to 

 remain thankful that through the tolls paid by the 

 remaining seven-eighths, they are allowed to retain 

 the place at all as a scientific collection of fish. 



It is remarkable that amongst the creatures exhibited 

 there are found representatives lof each of the five 

 classes of vertebrates, although the collection* is 

 nominally one of the "pisces" only. Yet an 

 Aquarium should be available for the reception of all 



