THE MONKEY TRIBE 237 



kept in the city, and if one is careful to secure 

 a pet of a gentle disposition, he will be found 

 as harmless in the house as a domestic pussy. 

 He is neither so restless nor so mischievous 

 as his bigger brethren ; nor, it must be added, 

 is he so intelligent and interesting to study. 

 A marmoset who is well cared for, washed and 

 brushed, and properly fed, is a delicate and 

 dainty pet that no lady need hesitate to have 

 about her person; and to be close to a human 

 being, cuddled into the neck above one's col- 

 lar, or snuggled down in a warm hand, is the 

 dearest delight of the shivering little creature, 

 who suffers much in our climate. 



I said the little beast was as harmless as 

 pussy. I should qualify that statement by 

 making one exception. The marmoset is apt 

 to be unfriendly to a bird. He seems to re- 

 gard a canary as his legitimate prey, and the 

 more spirited of the family will attack any 

 caged bird. 



In buying one of these little fellows out of 

 a store or from a sailor, the first thing to be 

 looked after is a tight band, which it is custom- 

 ary to tie around the body to attach a cord 

 or chain to. Very often this band is uncom- 



