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COAITA,—Ateles Paniscus, 
in an erect position, they always attempt to aid their tottering steps by means of 
their prehensile tails, which they twine about in every direction in the hope of grasping 
some object by which to help themselves along. But when they find that all chances 
of external support are vain, they bravely throw themselves on their own resources, 
and, using their tail as a balance, move along with tolerable ease. 
The mode in which they apply the tail to this unexpected use is by raising it 
up behind until it is on a level with the head, and then curling the tip of it downwards, 
so as to form the figure of a letter “8.” 
The spider monkeys can apply the tail to uses far more remarkable than any of 
those which have been mentioned. With such singularly delicate sense of touch is 
it furnished, that it almost seems to be possessed of the power of sight, and moves 
about among the branches with as much decision as if there were an eye in its tip. 
Should the monkey discover some prize, such as a nest of eges, or any little dainty, 
which lies in a crevice too small for the hand to enter, it is in nowise disconcerted, 
but inserts the eud of its tail into the cranny, and hooks out the desired object. 
It is impossible to contemplate this wonderful provision of nature without a feeling 
of admiration at the manner in which the most unlikely portions of an animal are 
developed for the purpose of performing sundry uses. There seems to be a curious 
parallel between the elephant’s trunk, and the spider monkey’s tail, being developments 
of the two opposite extremes of the body, the former belonging to the Old World and 
the latter to the New. 
There is a wonderful resemblance in the use to which these members are put, except- 
ing of course those discrepancies that must arise from the different natures of the organs, 
and the habits of the animals to which they belong. Even in external form the proboscis 
and the tail are marvellously similar; so much so, indeed, that an outline of one would 
G2 
