VERVET MONKEY 5 



and yellow, A narrow band across the forehead, chin, 

 cheeks, and underparts, including the insides of the 

 limbs, a dirty white. Face, hands and feet black. The 

 hairs at the root of the tail reddish. The scrotum is 

 of a bluish-green colour, hence the vernacular name of 

 "Blaauwaap" given to it by the Dutch South African. 

 Young animals are greener in colour than the adults. 



The total length is about 4 J feet, whereof the tail 

 measures '2 feet. I have, however, occasionally seen 

 larger examples. Trouessart, " Catalogus Mammalium," 

 recognizes two species of Vervet, the other one being 

 C. lalandei, but the matter requires further working up, 

 although my own opinion is that in South Africa there is 

 only one species. 



A sub-species, C. p, rufoviridis, is recorded from 

 Portuguese East Africa. 



The Vervet is the commonest monkey in South Africa, 

 and is found in all the wooded tracts, ranging from 

 Swellendam in the Western Cape Colony through the 

 Eastern Districts, the Orange fliver basin, Natal and 

 Zululand, to the Transvaal. I found it common at 

 Vliegepoort, Rustenburg district, and also along the 

 Maputo River in Portuguese South-East Africa. It lives 

 in troops of from three to several dozen individuals, and 

 feeds upon the gum of the Mimosa tree, berries and 

 fruit, including prickly pears, insects, spiders, vegetables, 

 &c., and in cultivated districts (like its larger relative the 

 Baboon) is much given to thieving. 



The cry of the Vervet Monkey is a harsh, loud, 

 cackling bark, but it also emits a peculiar, soft rattle- 

 like grunt expressive of pleasure or curiosity, or when it 

 desires to attract attention. When young it makes an 

 amusing and lovable pet, but when old it very often 

 becomes treacherous and cranky, and cannot be relied 



