Chap. V. MARMOSETS. 321 



Its manners in captivity are grave, and its temper mild 

 and confiding, like that of the Coaitas. Owing to these 

 traits, the Barrigndo is much sought after for pets ; but 

 it is not hardy like the Coaitas, and seldom survives 

 a passage down the river to Para. 



Marmosets. — It now only remains to notice the Mar- 

 mosets, which form the second family of American 

 monkeys. Our old friend Midas ursulus, of Para and 

 the Lower Amazons, is not found on the Upper river, 

 but in its stead a closely-allied species presents itself, 

 which appears to be the Midas rufoniger of Gervais, 

 whose mouth is bordered with longish white hairs. 

 The habits of this species are the same as those of the 

 M. ursulus, indeed it seems probable that it is a form or 

 race of the same stock, modified to suit the altered local 

 conditions under which it lives. One day, whilst walk- 

 ing along a forest pathway, I saw one of these lively 

 little fellows miss his grasp as he was passing from one 

 tree to another along with his troop. He fell head fore- 

 most, from a height of at least fifty feet, but managed 

 cleverly to alight on his legs in the pathway ; quickly 

 turning round he gave me a good stare for a few mo- 

 ments, and then bounded off gaily to climb another 

 tree. At Tunantins, I shot a pair of a very handsome 

 species of Marmoset, the M. rufiventer, I believe, of 

 zoologists. Its coat was very glossy and smooth ; the 

 back deep brown, and the underside of the body of 

 rich black and reddish hues. A third species (found at 

 Tabatinga, 200 miles further west) is of a deep black 

 colour, with the exception of a patch of white hair around 

 its mouth. The little animal, at a short distance, looks 



VOL. II. V 



