MAMMALIA — COAITA. 83 



Under its projecting forehead, (says Mr Bingly,) are two small and vivid 

 eyes, situated so near to each other, that their position alone gives to the 

 physiognomy an air of ferocity. An enormous muzzle, indicative of the 

 most brutal passions, terminates in a broad and rounded extremity of a fiery 

 red color, from which continually oozes a mucous humor. The cheeks, 

 greatly swollen and deeply furrowed, are naked, and of a deep blue color. 

 A narrow, blood-colored ridge extends down the middle of the face, and 

 terminates in the nose. Round the neck the hair is very long. On the 

 sides of the head it joins that at the top, and the whole terminates in a 

 somewhat pointed form. Each hair of the body is annulated with black and 

 yellow ; so that the whole fur has a greenish brown hue. 



One of these animals was exhibited at Charing Cross, London. He some- 

 times sat in a chair, smoked a pipe, drank spirits and water, and appeared 

 to understand every look and gesture of his keeper. He had a very con- 

 tented look, and passed under the name of "Happy Jerry." 



When standing upright, the mandrill is in height from three feet and a 

 half to five feet. It is to be found on the Gold Coast, in several other parts 

 of Africa, and also in the East Indies and the Indian Archipelago. Its 

 voice bears some resemblance to the roaring of a lion. No art or kindness 

 can in the least subdue its brutal propensities ; and its great strength 

 renders it an object of perpetual dread to its .keepers. Yet it is not, strictly 

 speaking, a carnivorous animal ; for, though it will eat meat tha.t has been 

 conked, its usual food is fruit and nuts. 



THE COAITA. i 



Next to the warine, and the alouato, the coaita, or four-fingered monkey, 

 is the largest of the sapajous.* There was one alive at the Duke of Bouil- 

 lon's, where, by its familiarity and forward caresses, it merited the affection 

 of those who had it under their care ; but in spite of the good treatment and 

 attention paid to it, it could not resist the winter of the year 1764. It differs 

 greatly in disposition from the warine and the alouato, which are wild and 

 untameable. It also differs from them in having but four fingers, and no 

 thumb to the fore paws : by this character alone, and its holding tail, it is 



1 Atelcs paniscus. The genus Ateles has four upper and four lower incisors ; two upper 

 and two lower canines ; twelve upper and twelve lower molars. Canines a little projecting, 

 crossing- one another, conical ; molars with blunt crowns, as those of man ; head round; 

 face perpendicular; facial angle, about sixty decrees ; ears hardened; extremities very long 

 and slender: the anterior ones, generally tetradactyle ; thumb, none, or only replaced by a 

 wart, or extremely short, and armed with a little sharp nail ; posterior pentadactyle ; nail, 

 convex and short; tail extremely lorn/, strongly prehensile, having a part without hair, 

 and covered with a delicate skin toward its extremity. 



* The sapajous are apes peculiar to the American continent, haring long, prehensile 

 tails. 



