826 THE MENTAL CAPACITIES AND 



held be'/re him. His attention was constantly and strongly 

 arrested: from the utmost activity he became immovably fixed, 

 steadfastly gazing at the mirror with eagerness, and something like 

 wonder depicted in his face. He at length looked up at me, then 

 again gazed at the glass. The tips of my fingers appeared on one 

 side as I held it; he put his hands and then his lips to them, then 

 looked behind the glass, and finally passed his hands behind it, 

 evidently to feel if there were anything substantial there. . . . As 

 I was making notes with a paper and pencil, he came up and looked 

 at me inquisitively, testing the pencil with his teeth when he had 

 it given to him. A trial was made of the little fellow's courage ; 

 for, when his attention was directed elsewhere, a hamper containing 

 a large snake, called Python, was brought in and placed on a chair 

 near the dresser. The lid was raised, and the basket in which the 

 snake was enveloped was opened, and soon after Tommy came 

 gambolling that way. As he jumped and danced along the dresser 

 towards the basket he was all gaiety and life ; suddenly he seemed 

 to be taken aback, stopped, cautiously advanced towards the basket, 

 peered or rather craned over it, and instantly, with a gesture of 

 horror and aversion, and the cry of ' Hoo ! hoo ! ' recoiled from the 

 detested object, jumped back as far as he could, and then sprang to 

 his keeper for protection. Tommy does not like confinement, and 

 when he is shut up in his cage, the violence with which he pulls at 

 and shakes the door is very great, and shows considerable strength ; 

 but I have never seen him use this exertion against any other part 

 of the cage, though his keeper has endeavoured to induce him to 

 do so, in order to see whether he would make the distinction. Then 

 he went to a window, opened it and looked out. I was afraid that 

 he might make his escape, but the words ' Tommy, no ! ' pro- 

 nounced by the keeper in a mild but firm tone, caused him to shut 

 the window and to come away. He is, in truth, a most docile and 

 affectionate animal, pud it is impossible not to be taken with the 

 expressive gestures and looks with which he courts your good 

 opinion, and throws himself upon you for protection against 

 annoyance." 



Whether these animals grow cross and savage as they 

 get old, after the manner of Monkeys generally, is not 

 known, for no adults have been kept in captivity ; we have, 

 therefore, also no means of forming an opinion of the 



