HABITS OF THE MARMOSETS. 97 



They prefer to live in the densest parts of the forests, where they run 

 up and down the trees and along the branches more like squirrels than 

 apes, often suspending themselves by their claws. Their food is insects, 

 fruits, eggs, and small birds. Their chief enemies are the birds of prey. 

 When disturbed they utter a feeble cry from which they derive their 

 name of OuiSTiTls. 



" Audouin," writes Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, "has assured 

 himself, by experiments several times repeated, that these monkeys were 

 well able to recognize in a picture not only their own likeness, but that 

 of another animal. Thus, the drawing of a cat, and, what is yet still 

 more remarkable, that of a wasp, caused them manifest dread ; while at 

 the sight of any other insect, such as a grasshopper or a May-bug, they 

 threw themselves on the picture as if to seize the object represented. 



" Audouin has also remarked that the Ouistitis were very curious ; 

 that they had acute vision ; that they perfectly recognized the people 

 who looked after them; and, lastly, that their cries varied considerably, 

 according to the passions that animated them." 



Another observer writes : " Their graceful tricks were always amus- 

 ing, as they never were mischievous. With my cats and parrots they 

 were on terms of the greatest intimacy, sharing, of their own accord, 

 their food with the latter. They soon learned to drink wine, and, after 

 a short experience, exhibited so marked a liking for the juice of the 

 grape, that, if permitted, they would indulge till perfectly intoxicated. 

 Nothing alarmed them so much as the appearance of a snake, and several 

 times, for the sake of experiment, I had one brought into my residence to 

 observe the effect. On seeing their enemy, instantaneously they became 

 powerless, and the woe-begone expression of their countenance for the 

 time being was the perfect personification of utter helplessness; and even 

 after the object of their dread had been removed, it required the lapse 

 of many hours before they recovered their vivacity." 



At present, about thirty-three species of Marmosets are known, 

 grouped into two genera, on very slight foundations. 



I.— GENUS HAPALE. 



This genus has the face and ears bare, a tail as long as the body, thin 

 and tufted at the end, and a mane of greater or less length. The number 

 of species is nine. 

 1.3 



