lOO QUADRUMANA. 



They are very fond of flies and other insects, and will often take a fly 

 from the hand of the visitor. One of these animals with whom Wood 

 struck up an acquaintance, took great pleasure in making him catch flics 

 for its use, and taking them daintily out of his hand. When it saw his 

 hand sweep over a doomed fly, the bright eyes sparkled with eager 

 anticipation ; and when he approached the cage, the little creature thrust 

 its paw through the bars as far as the wires would permit, and opened 

 and closed the tiny fingers with restless impatience. It then insinuated 

 its hand among his closed fingers, and never failed to find and to capture 

 the imprisoned fly. 



The Marmoset has a strange liking for hair, and is fond of playing 

 with the locks of its owner. One of these little creatures, which was 

 the property of a gentleman adorned with a large bushy beard, was 

 wont to creep to its master's face, and to nestle among the thick masses 

 of beard which decorated his chin. Another Marmoset, which belonged 

 to a lad}', and which was liable to the little petulances of its race, used 

 to vent its anger by nibbling the end of her ringlets. If the hair were 

 bound round her head, the curious little animal would draw a tress down 

 and bite its cxtremitv, as if it were trying to eat the hair by degrees. 

 The same individual was possessed of an accomplishment which is 

 almost unknown among these little monkeys, namely, standing on its 

 head. 



Another chapter will complete our account of the Qua,irumanous 

 animals, with a description of the half-apes or Lemurs. 



<^t^(^te&)^ 



