THE WOOLLY MONKEYS. 223 



Upper Magdalena Valley, Colombia, where it is known as the 

 " Churuco " river. Its true habitat is the district south-west 

 of the Rio Negro towards the Andes. It is unknown in the 

 Lower Amazon Region. 



Habits. — The " Caparro," as the Orinoco Indians named this 

 species to Humboldt, or "Macaco barrigudo," as the Portu- 

 guese settlers call it, is entirely an arboreal animal, living ex- 

 clusively on fruits, on which it is a most voracious feeder. 

 The name of "big-bellied," which dam'gndo means, is probably 

 obtained from the effects of this habit. Its manners in cap- 

 tivity are grave, and its temper, according to Mr. Bates, is mild 

 and confiding, like that of the Coaitas, or Spider-Monkeys. 

 Owing to these traits, the Barrigudo is much sought after as a 

 pet ; but it is not hardy like the Coaitas, and seldom survives a 

 passage down the river to Para. Nevertheless, the Zoological 

 Society has had a considerable number of these Monkeys in 

 confinement during the past twenty years. Mr. Bates also 

 states that it is much persecuted by the natives on account of 

 the excellence of its flesh as food. " From information given 

 me," he says, " by a collector of birds and mammals whom I 

 employed, and who resided a long time among the Tacuna 

 Indians, near Tabatinga, I calculated that one horde of this 

 tribe, 200 in number, destroyed 1,200 of these Monkeys 

 annually for food. The species is very numerous in the 

 forests of the higher lands, but, owing to long persecution, 

 it is now seldom seen in the neighbourhood of the larger 

 villages." 



n. THE BROWN LAGOTHRIX. LAGOTHKIX INFUMATUS. 



Gastrimargiis mfianatus^ Spix, Sim. et Vespert., Bras., p. 41, 

 pi. 29 (1823). 



