FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB. 153 



at his trap he puts his beak in the hole and makes a loud 

 rattling noise which so frightens the insects that they all rush out 

 when they are promptly swallowed by the wood-pecker. This 

 story may be true but it seems to be at variance with the general 

 habit of the family which is supposed only to make holes in trees 

 which have already been bored by insects. Tired out we made 

 our way home, as fast as possible, arriving about four o'clock, 

 after a tramp of at least twelve miles in the High Woods. 



That evening as we sat in the comfortable rockers or swung in 

 hammocks we chatted over the events of the day, now and again 

 jumping up to catch the fine moths and beetles which flew into 

 the house attracted by the light and once or twice we captured 

 inquisitive tree frogs* which would mysteriously appear on the 

 table and turn their great heads and large brilliant eyes towards 

 the many insects dancing round the lamp. 



Early next morning, as we rose, after a most com- 

 fortable night, and threw open the windows we heard the 

 roar of the Howling Monkeys, now high and distinct and 

 then dying away to a mere whisper. The animals must 

 have been fully three miles off but we could hear them 

 quite clearly and we were much surprised at the noise 

 these comparatively small creatures are capable of. Mr. Carr, 

 who has often shot them, told us that, when close to, their roar 

 surpasses in volume that of the lions in Central Park, New York. 

 On one occasion a wounded male sat on a stump and roared so 

 loudly it unnerved him for the moment and it was some little 

 while before he could control himself sufficiently to give the poor 

 brute an effectual quietus. Besides being an ardent sportsman, 

 Mr. Carr is a keen observer of Nature and does not always shoot 

 the animals he encounters. Once, he and a friend managed to 

 get near a tree in which a troop of Howlers were disporting 

 themselves. In a huge forked branch gravely sat a fine male j- in 

 the prime of life. His chin was decorated by an enormous beard. 

 Round him jumping, swinging, climbing, were a number of 

 females and young ones. It was a family party and j erhaps Mr. 

 Howler had only just returned from a long journey. The ladies 

 were particularly attentive to their lord and as each of them 

 passed him she invariably caressed him about the face, beard and 

 shoulders, darting away immediately, only to return the next 

 mi tnent and rej eat her antics. The scene was quite a revelation 

 as to Monkey family life and was watched for a long time with 

 the greatest interest and amusement by the sportsmen who were 

 good enough to refrain from putting a tragic end to so much 

 innocent mirth and so many merry gambols. 



*Hyla crepitans Weid ; PhyHomedusa burn cistcri, Blgr. 

 \Myctt:s seniculus. 



