THE REASON WHY .' 



.' Stand by there. What are you ? " 



" My lady's ape, that imitated all her fashions ; falling as she did, and running 

 she same course of folly." NABBE. 



174. Why are monkeys confined to certain geographical limits? 



Because their chief office evidently is to prevent the too rapid 

 increase of birds, which they do by destroying vast numbers of 

 eggs that would otherwise be brought to maturity almost by the 

 sun's heat. This mission the monkeys carry out so perseveringly, 

 that they are perpetually on the watch to rob birds' nests, and 

 when they want appetite or inclination to devour them, they will 

 fling them on the ground. We therefore find that monkeys abound 

 in those latitudes where birds are most abundant. 



175. Why should we not mistake the imitative propensities of 

 monkeys for a natural love of mischief? 



Because in mimicking the actions of man they will as readily 

 engage in useful employment as in wilful sport. And during the 

 whole time they are so engaged their countenances assume a 

 reflective and serious air. 



176. It is said that the Indians sometimes direct their imitative propensity to 

 u&eful purposes ; for, wishing to collect the cocoa-nuts and other fruits from the 

 trees in the woods frequented by the apes, they repair to their places, setting the 

 example of gathering a few heaps first themselves, and then withdrawing, leave the 

 work to be performed by the animals at will. These creatures seeing a heap or two 

 commenced, descend with the certainty of carrying on the business, and when the 

 produce has been thus rather plentifully collected, the Indians approach and take 

 away the harvest. 

 t 



177. Why have some monkeys tails of an extraordinary length ? 



They are thus enabled to suspend themselves from the branches 

 of one tree and reach food from another. By the same means the 

 young of the animal sit securely on the back of the mother by 

 turning their tails around her's, and so escape from the pursuit of 

 their enemies 



178. A sketch is here given of the Coaita, or Spider Monkey. The tail answers 

 alJ the purposes of % hand, and the animal throws itself from branch to branch by 



