THE TITI MONKEYS 171 



THE TITI MONKEYS 

 Genus Callithrix 



The titis, which form the last members of the present group of American mon- 

 keys, are distinguished from the squirrel-monkeys by their round and well-formed 

 heads, which are not elongated posteriorly ; by their smaller eyes, less developed 

 canine teeth, and the much longer hair clothing the tail. They are chiefly inhabi- 

 tants of Brazil and other parts of the Amazon valley, and are represented by some 

 ten species, three of which have been exhibited alive in this country. We shall 

 notice only some of the species. 



The red titi of Brazil (C. cuprea), which belongs to a group in 

 which the fur is soft but intermingled with a number of long, stiff 

 hairs, takes its name from the reddish -bay color of its hands, which forms a ready 

 means of distinguishing it from the next species. The color of the upper parts is 

 blackish mixed with gray, but the cheeks, throat, under parts, feet, and. legs are of 

 the same reddish-bay hue as the hands ; the tail being generally rather darker than 

 the back, although instances are known in which it has a white tip. 



The second Brazilian species (C. torquata) is readily distinguished 

 from the last by the white hair of the hands. In general color it is 

 reddish brown tending to black, the hairs being red at the root and black at the tips. 

 The face is surrounded by a narrow band of pure white hairs, and there is a narrow 

 reddish- white collar round the neck, from which the species takes its name. The 

 forehead, feet, and tail are quite black. 



The remarkable coloration of this animal has obtained for it among the Creoles 

 of Brazil the name of the Widow Monkey ; the white rim round the face, the whit- 

 ish collar, and the white hands being compared to the veil, handkerchief, and gloves 

 worn by widows in its native country. 



By the natives of Brazil this and other titis are known by the name of Whaipu- 

 sai. Although alluded to as the Moloch titi, it appears, judging by the reference to 

 the long brown hair and the whitish hands, to be this species that was observed by 

 Mr. Bates on the banks of the Tapajos river the great southern tributary of the 

 Lower Amazon. Be the species what it may, his description is the best that we 

 have in English of the habits of the titis. He says that these animals have none of 

 the restless vivacity of the sapajous and their allies, but are dull and listless ; going 

 in small parties of five or six individuals, and having the habit of running above the 

 main branches of the forest trees. "One of the specimens which I obtained," he 

 observes, ' ' was caught on a low fruit tree at the back of our house, at sunrise one 

 morning. This was the only instance of a monkey being captured in such a posi- 

 tion that I ever heard of. As the tree was isolated, the animal must have descended 

 to the ground from the neighboring forest, and walked some distance to get at it. 

 The species is sometimes kept in a tame state by the natives ; it does not make a 

 very amusing pet, and survives captivity only a short time." 



