1 66 APES, MONKEYS, AND LEMURS 



very short, scarcely appearing above the hair of the head ; and the eyes are large 

 and yellowish in color, imparting the staring expression of nocturnal animals of 

 prey. The forehead is whitish, and decorated with three white stripes." 



THE THREE-BANDED DOUROUCOUU (Nyctipithecus trivirgatus) 



This species was first discovered by Humboldt on the banks of the river 

 Cassiquiare, near the headwaters of the Rio Negro, in Venezuela ; but it is likewise 

 found in Guiana and Brazil. Its chief distinctive character is to be found in the 

 circumstance that the three bands on the forehead continue distinct from one 

 another on to the, crown of the head. The fur is relatively short, and the tail 

 cylindrical. The general color is a grayish brown, with a darker stripe down 

 the middle of the back ; the chest and under parts being ferruginous, and the 

 tail blackish brown, except on the under part of its root, where it becomes yellowish. 



The account given of this animal by Humboldt accords very closely with the 

 descriptions of later naturalists. Humboldt refers to the difficulty of taming it, and 

 states that one kept in his possession for nearly five months could not be reconciled 

 to captivity. It slept during the day, concealing itself in the darkest corner it could 

 find, and when awake could but seldom be induced to play with its master. Its 

 agility in capturing flies was very remarkable. If irritated it hissed, and struck out 

 with its paws after the manner of a cat, at the same time inflating its throat. Its 

 voice, for so small an animal, was very powerful, and Humboldt compares its cry 

 on some occasions to the roar of the jaguar, while at others it is described as a kind 

 of mewing accompanied by a deep guttural sound. 



Mr. Bates describes how he kept an individual of this species for many months 

 when on the Amazon. He observes that "these monkeys, although sleeping by 

 day, are aroused by the least noise ; so that when a person passes by a tree in which 

 a number of them are concealed, he is startled by the apparition of a number of 

 little striped faces crowding a hole in the trunk. It was in this way that my com- 

 panion discovered the colony from which the one given to me was taken. I was 

 obliged to keep my pet chained up ; it never became thoroughly familiar. ' ' After 

 referring to an individual of the next species, Mr. Bates states that his douroucouli 

 " was kept in a box, in which was placed a broad-mouthed glass jar ; into this it 

 would dive headforemost when anyone entered the room, turning round inside, and 

 thrusting forth its inquisitive face an instant afterwards to stare at the intruder. 

 It was very active at night, venting at frequent intervals a hoarse cry, like the 

 suppressed barking of a dog, and scampering about the room, to the length of its 

 tether, after spiders and cockroaches. In climbing between the box and the wall, 

 it straddled the space, resting its hands on the palms and tips of the outstretched 

 fingers, with the knuckles bent at an acute angle, and thus mounted to the top with 

 the greatest facility. Although seeming to prefer insects, it ate all kinds of fruit, 

 but would not touch raw or cooked meat, and was very seldom thirsty. I was 

 told by persons who had kept these monkeys loose about the house that they 

 cleared the chambers of bats as well as insect vermin. When approached gently, 

 my E-ia allowed itself to be caressed ; but when handled roughly, it always took 



