81 



May 14, 1844. 



Rev. John Kirby in the Chair. 



A letter was read from Walter Elliott, Esq. of Madras to Col. 

 Sykes, which was accompanied by a number of skins of animals from 

 the Neilgherry Hills and the Camatic. 



At the reąuest of the Chairman, Professor Percy called the atten- 

 tion of the Meeting to the following remarks on the management of 

 various species of Monkeys in confinement : — 



" Having during the lašt five years paid considerable attention to 

 the habits and management of various species of Monkeys, I have 

 pleasure in complying with the reąuest of Mr. Frazer, and presenting 

 the results of my experience concerning these animals ; apologizing, 

 however, for the crude and unconnected style of this communication. 



" 1 . Character of the locality. — I fitted up a capacious hay-loft for 

 these animals, arranging the cages on each side. The roof at first 

 consisted merely of slates without mortar. The cages -n-ere con- 

 structed of an iron grating in front, of -vvood partitions and roof, and 

 of a brick wall at the back. The boards composing the roof were 

 not rabbeted, so that \varm air could freely escape from the cage 

 through the roof. At the upper part of each cage -vvas a close box, 

 with an aperture large enough for a monkey to pass through, and a 

 door opening extemally and fixed on a slide. By this arrangement 

 it was easy thoroughly to scrape and cleanse the floor of the box ; 

 every night, for a considerable period, fresh sawdust and straw •vvere 

 introduced into each box through the sliding-doors, and the animals 

 regularly at the hour of dusk resorted to them, and remained in them 

 during the night. Some of them, however, invariably threw out the 

 straw. Great care was reąuired to keep the bottom of the box clean. 

 I would recommend, that in the event of such an arrangement being 

 adopted, the bottom of the box should be made to slide out, and 

 that it should be always removed during the day ; and further, that 

 a wire door should also be attached to the entrance from within, 

 with a view to keep the animals out during the day and to secure 

 them within during the night. I think that this arrangement of 

 boxes is most applicable for the more delicate species, as those of 

 the genus Cehus ; and that for the large monkeys, as Cynocephalus, 

 Papio, etc, it is quite superfluous. 



"The gi'eat objection to the preceding plan is the trouble ■which 

 it imposes upon the keeper. I am satisfied, however, that for the 

 delicate monkeys above mentioned it is -nell adapted during the 

 winter months ; it has the advantage of keeping them warm without 

 the aid of much ai-tificial heat, -vvhich is at all times in a greater or 

 less degree injurious. Of late, not having had any of the delicate 



Nos. CXXXV & CXXXVI.— Proceedings of the Zool. Soc. 



