88 



THE DOUROUCOULL 



The length of the head and body is said to reach nearly two feet in full-grown animals, and 

 the tail is from three to five inches long, according to the size of the individual. 



Very little is known of the habits of the Cacajao in a wild state, but in captivity it bears 

 the character of being a very inactive and very docile animal. Fruits seem to be its favorite 

 diet, and when eating them it has a habit of bending over its food in a very peculiar attitude. 

 It is not so adroit in handling objects as are the generality of monkeys, and seems to feel some 

 difficulty in the management of its long and slender fingers, so that its manner of eating is 

 rather awkward than otherwise. 



Among the names by which this monkey is known, we may mention, "Mono-feo," or 

 Hideous Monkey, Chucuto, Chucuzo, and Caruiri. The term " Melanocephala " signifies 



Black-headed, while the word "Leuco- 

 cephala," which is applied to the Yarke, 

 signifies White-headed. 



It seems to be a timid, as well as a 

 quiet animal, as a Cacajao which had 

 been domesticated displayed some alarm 

 at the sight of several small monkeys 

 of its own country, and trembled violently 



Mlii^iiii^il^^E^^^^^^Kil^^ when a lizard or a serpent was brought 



before its eyes. 



The localities where it is most gen- 

 erally found are the forests which border 

 the Rio Negro and the Cassiquiare, but 

 it does not seem to be very plentiful even 

 in its own land. 



The Cuxio or Saki (BracTiyurus} 

 belongs to a group having singular de- 

 velopments of tail and beard. The former 

 member is often very thickly beset with 

 hairs, and altogether it resembles a large 

 pompon. The beard is extremely large 

 and bushy. 



The White-headed Saki resembles 

 an old colored man with a full head of 

 silvery hair. 



Other species are characterized by 

 very short tails. The White Acari (Ouar- 

 karia calva) is much in request by the natives of Tapura, South America. They shoot them 

 with poisoned arrows, and then immediately restore them by applying salt to their mouths. 



Some small monkeys belonging to another group are represented by the more familiar 

 little creature called Douroucouli (NyctipitJiecus trivergatiis). The first systematic term refers 

 to their nocturnal habits, meaning literally, night-monkey. The eyes are very large, and the 

 hair of the orbit is arranged much as it is on the owls. They are so sensitive to light, that it 

 cannot endure the glare of day, and only awakes to activity and energy when the shades of 

 night throw their welcome veil over the face of nature. At night the woods resound with cries 

 of duruculi, which has given rise to the trivial name of the monkey. 



In its wild state, it seeks the shelter of some hollow tree or other darkened place of refuge, 

 and there abides during the hours of daylight, buried in a slumber so deep, that it can with 

 difficulty be aroused, even though the rough hand of its captor drag it from its concealment. 

 During sleep it gathers all its four feet closely together, and drops its head between its fore- 

 paws. It seems to be one of the owls of the monkey race. 



The food of this Douroucouli is mostly of an animal nature ; and consists chiefly of insects 

 and small birds, which it hunts and captures in the night season. After dark, the Dourou- 

 couli awakes from the torpid lethargy in which it has spent the day, and shaking off its drowsi- 



CUXIO, OR BEARDED SAKI. Brachyurus Satanae. 



