62 



THE MONKEYS OF THE NEW WORLD. 



in their own private houses, the owners of 

 monkey-theatres can employ them at most 

 only as mutes, never in leading roles. They 

 are likewise wanting in the high courage, 

 the defiant bravery in defence and attack, 

 characteristic of some of the Old World 

 monkeys, such qualities being displayed only 

 occasionally on behalf of their young; they 

 either flee or submit to their fate with silent 

 patience. They have enemies enough in 

 beasts of prey of all sorts, mammals, birds, and 

 reptiles, especially serpents, and among their 

 enemies we must not forget man. They have, 

 indeed, nothing to fear from fire-arms; on the 

 other hand they frequently fall victims to the 

 arrows poisoned with curara blown from the 

 blow-pipes of the Indians, to whom they afford 

 ! a valuable booty on account of their flesh and 

 fur. The slightest wound from a poisoned 

 arrow, which the Indians are able to shoot to 

 the height of a hundred feet, kills in a few 

 minutes, and so paralyses the muscles that the 

 monkey falls from the tree, while if he were 

 killed by slugs or bullets he would in most 

 eases remain hanging. The flesh of monkeys 

 killed in this way is quite fit for food. Since 

 the animal when wounded always draws the 

 arrow out, the arrows are so made that the 

 poisoned part breaks off and remains in the 

 wound. By reducing the strength of the 

 poison the Indians are able so to manage that 

 the monkeys which they wish to have alive 

 are momentarily paralysed, but after a time 

 recover. 



The American monkeys have been divided 

 into several groups according to the structure 

 of the tail. 



NAKED-TAILED MONKEYS 



(GYMNURyE). 



The long and powerful tail has at least the last third 

 naked on the under surface, covered with rough skin, 

 and serving as an organ of touch and prehension. 



The uses of this tail, which has flattened 

 vertebra; in the naked part, are manifold. 



Not only do these creatures suspend them- 

 selves by means of it, twisting it twice round 

 branches, and then hanging free in the air 

 swaying themselves backwards and forwards 

 so as to increase the impetus with which they 

 leap to rather distant branches, but they also 

 use it as a hand to carry leaves and fruits to 

 the mouth, and likewise as a highly sensitive 

 organ of touch, the impressions of which do 

 not require to be controlled by the other 

 senses. Without using his eyes the creature, 

 by means of his tail, acquires a knowledge of 

 his surroundings, of the strength of branches, 

 of the presence of eggs and other things, like 

 a man feeling with his hands. The structure 

 of the whole organ is of such a nature that it 

 grasps and holds fast even in death. 



All these animals are essentially leaf- and 

 fruit-eaters, but do not despise eggs, young 

 birds, and insects. Their molar teeth become 

 so worn away with age, that the grinding 

 surfaces become nearly smooth. The canines 

 are short, triangular in section, and sharp at 

 the edges. 



The Howlers (Mycetes). 



The monkeys belonging to this genus are 

 the most persevering musicians of the prim- 

 eval forests of South America, which they fill 

 with the far-reaching sounds of their concerts, 

 especially in the morning and evening. The 

 larynx or upper part of the windpipe, where 

 the voice is formed, is very wide, and the 

 hyoid bone, which is usually a small bone 

 supporting the back of the tongue, is swollen 

 up into the form of a large resonant drum, 

 and it is to these structures that the extra- 

 ordinary music is due. The old males are the 

 leaders in the concert ; they sit opposite one 

 another, as represented in fig. 14, and after a 

 few beats the whole choir strikes in, but the 

 concert at once ceases as soon as any danger 

 approaches. They are ugly creatures, with 

 plump body, thick neck mostly surrounded 

 by a large beard, strong limbs, and well- 

 developed thumbs. Their movements are slow 



