CHAMECK.—Aleles Chameck. 
saurians of cons long passed away, leaving but their dry and fossil remains as records of 
an evil time that has been, but is no longer. So with mankind. The wild beasts melt 
away before the savage man, and the human wild beasts die out before the resistless march 
of higher races; and thus the earth is gradually purified and regenerated. Imperfect 
though it be, the world is better than it has ever been, and it rests with each individual 
who is placed upon it, to aid by his own efforts the advancement of the orb on which he 
lives, and the progress of that vast humanity of which he forms a part. 
In each embodiment of the prevailing idea there is a strong individuality, which causes 
ereat modifications in the external form, according to the time, place, and climate, in 
which the animal is intended to pass its existence. 
The lion, tiger, wolf, bear, and weasel, are all rapacious animals, being inspired with 
the same prevailing principle ; but each carries out that principle in its own way, and thus 
performs its allotted task without interfering with the work which is assigned to any other 
being. As with the mammals, so with the birds, the eagle, vulture, owl, and shrike, being 
examples of different kinds of rapacity. The same remark may be made upon the 
instances which have just been quoted from the reptiles and the fishes. 
So, all the parts of the world are filled with endless variety, and whether by night or 
day, in the fierce rays of the tropical sun, or under the sunless winter of the polar regions, 
earth, air, and water, are peopled with infinite multitudes of living forms, each performing 
its allotted task in working out its individual portion of the universal principle. 
It appears to be only consistent w ith reason, to suppose that this system is not solely 
confined to the animal kingdom, but reigns through the entire creation, and that even in 
vegetable and mineral ob ijects we may discover the same beautiful order to prevail. 
The curiously shaped ene which is represented in the above engraving, is an excel- 
lent example of the Cebidie, or Sapajous, as they are often called. 
The name “ Ateles,” which is given to the entire genus to which this animal belongs, 
signifies “imperfect,” and has been applied to the creatures because the fore-paws are 
devoid of useful thumbs. Sometimes that member is almost entirely absent, and in other 
instances it only just shows itself. 
In the CHAMECK, the thumb is slightly projecting, but even in this case it has only a 
single joint, and is not furnished with a nail after the usual custom of thumbs and fingers. 
Even when the thumb reaches its createst size, it cannot be used as the human thumb, 
as it is not capable of being opposed ‘to the fingers. 
ie G 
