Memoir upon the Jpes ivlth hriperfect Harids. 7 



nfiost livelv regret, following each other with their eyes, 

 and stretching; towards each other. When shut up in the 

 same cage, they were rarely separate from each other ; the 

 one either negligently rests upon the other, or mounts its 

 back and picks off the vermin to which this species is very 

 subject. They feed together in common ; and on these oc- 

 casions the sentiment of self-love seems not to prevail, or 

 at least does not excite any serious disputes betvveen them : 

 when one has tasted an apple or a vegetable and left it, the 

 other lays hold of it; a thing that often happens with them. 



This character of gentleness indicates the social affections, 

 and we know, in fact, that the ateles live in troops. In a 

 savage state they feed at first on fruits, preferring such as 

 belong to the palm tree ; they afterwards eat vegetables and 

 small animals, such as worms and insects. It is also said 

 that with the assistance of their tail they fish extremely well 

 for crab fish and other kinds ox shell fish, and that they are 

 by no means at a loss for a method of breaking the shells. 



We did not remark that our ateles made any uncommon 

 use of their tail, nor did they ever seize their food with it ; 

 for this purpose they use their hands, and they do it in an 

 awkward manner to appearance, but really with great ad- 

 dress. 



The ateles, when left to their natural impulse, evince 

 boldness and courage ; they fight together often, and very 

 bitterly ; it is said that they come to the assistance of each 

 other. 



Dampier relates the ingenious manner in which these ani- 

 mals cross a river when there are trees on each side of it : 

 one of them hangs by the tail to one of the highest branches, 

 and the others attach themselves to this one by their tails : 

 they then begin to swing themselves across the river until 

 the one at the lower extremity catches hold of the opposite 

 tree; and when he has laid hold of it he climbs up to the 

 top, and the animal at the other extremity then lets go his 

 hold, and thus the whole chain swings acro.ss the river. 



The alelcs are natives of South America : there is a little 



uncertainty respecting a fifth species without the thumb ; 



but it is, perhaps, very different from these apes, and cannot 



A 4 be 



