190 APES, MONKEVS, AND LEMURS 



they are more like squirrels than monkeys, and they climb in the same way. 

 They are, indeed, essentially arboreal animals, subsisting not only on fruits, but 

 likewise, to a large extent, on insects. As we shall see later on, marmosets usually 

 live in small parties, and all of them appear to be gentle in disposition, although 

 frequently requiring a considerable amount of trouble and patience before they can 

 be tamed. Whereas, other monkeys usually give birth to but a single young one at 

 a time, marmosets normally have litters of two or three ; and in this respect, there- 

 fore, show decided signs of their affinity with animals of inferior rank in the zoolog- 

 ical scheme. They retain, however, the expressive and mobile faces characteristic 

 of the higher monkeys. 



There are a large number of kinds of marmosets, although there is still some 

 uncertainty as to how many are entitled to rank as valid species. The whole of 

 them are very similar in general appearance, but they may be conveniently divided 

 into two genera, according as to whether the lower tusks or -canine teeth are or not 

 longer than the front teeth or incisors. 



THE SHORT-TUSKED MARMOSETS 

 Genus Hapale 



The marmosets of this group are characterized by the tusks not being longer 

 than the incisors in the lower jaw, so that all the teeth present an even series. It 

 is only in this genus that we meet with species in which the hair of the tail is 

 marked by darker and lighter rings. 



The common marmoset, or ouistiti (H. Jacchus), is one of the best 

 _. and longest known members of the family, having been first described 



by L,innaeus. It is an inhabitant of Brazil, more especially the south- 

 eastern regions of that country, and belongs to a group in which the ears are large 

 and bald over the greater part of their expanse, but furnished with a pencil of long 

 hairs, which forms an expanded tuft on the front edge of their aperture ; the hair 

 on the sides of the crown of the head being likewise elongated. The tail is alter- 

 nately ringed with bands of black and white, and the back has likewise darker and 

 lighter cross bands. 



The common marmoset, which is represented in the left figure of the illustra- 

 tion on p. 189, is of a generally blackish color, the back and outer surfaces of the 

 thighs being marked with transverse bands of gray, and the head having a white 

 spot on the upper part of the nose. The especial point of distinction is, however, 

 that while the head is black and white, the tufts of hair on the ears are pure white. 



The contrast between the black face and the white ear-tufts gives a very pecul- 

 iar expression to this animal, reminding us somewhat of a white-haired negro. It 

 is frequently brought to this country as a pet, and its behavior in captivity has been 

 many times described. 



The following account of the habits of a favorite ouistiti is given by a writer in 

 London's Magazine of Natural History for the year 1829. This specimen was pro- 



