282 



M O N K E V. 



the black-tailed species ; and so also may be the 

 oilier variety with a white tail, which has been 

 described. One of the chief reasons for supposing 

 that this one is an albino is the colour of those places 

 where the skin is naked, that is the face and the feet, 

 which are red, as much as to say that the usual 

 colouring membrane of the skin is wanting. Still 

 this has been described as a species under the name 

 of the mico, or fair monkey, for a long time. 



Various other coloured varieties of this genus might 

 be mentioned; but the enumeration of them would be 

 only ringing the changes, which colours extend no fur- 

 ther than the single individuals in which they are 

 found, and thus they would only burden the memory 

 without informing the judgment. We shall therefore 

 proceed to the last and concluding genus, of this very 

 numerous group of animals. 



MIDAS (Tamarin). One of the most common 

 names of this genus is eared jacchus or eared mon- 

 key ; and it is in consequence of the great production 

 of the ears that the name midas has been applied to 

 them. They are not unfrequently included in the 

 same genus with ouistitis, or jacchus properly so 

 called ; but besides the greater size of the ears, there 

 are some other differences which are worthy of notice. 

 They have the lower incisors much more trenchant 

 than those of the preceding genus, placed in a more 

 uniform line, and shorter than the canines. Their 

 tails are also much thicker than those of the other 

 genus, and they are never annulated. Very generally 

 they are furnished with long hair on the head and 

 neck, and sometimes the haunches also have the hair 

 on them a good deal produced. It is not very easy 

 to determine which ought to be considered the typi- 

 cal species of this genus, because the species differ 

 much more from each other than those of the former 

 genus do.. 



The Pinche (M. oedipus). It appears that this spe- 

 cies is much- more numerous in the northern parts of 

 Colombia, than in the countries farther to the east. 

 It is a small animal (which is indeed the character of 

 the genus), being only about seven inches long in 

 the body, but having at least twelve inches of tail. 

 One of the most remarkable traits in the appearance 

 of the pinche is the very long white hair on the top 

 of the head, which, falling backwards and laterally, 

 forms a complete hood. All the under parts of the 

 body and the insides of the legs are also white. The 

 outsides of the legs, the buttocks, and the basal half 

 of the tail, are bright rusty red ; and the terminal 

 half of the tail is black. The back is covered with 

 black hairs having yellowish olive points ; and these 

 are so arranged as to produce a transverse barred 

 appearance, but the bars are by no means distinct. 

 The length of the body and head is from seven and 

 a half to eight and a half inches, and that of the tail 

 from eight to twelve. 



Common Tamarin {M. rufonanus) is the typical spe- 

 cies of tamarin. It is generally of a black colour, 

 with the feet of a golden red, and the back faintly 

 cross-barred with yellowish-grey. In the northern 

 parts of South America the common tamarin is very 

 abundant where it is gregarious, and large troops are 

 found together in the forests; the usual length when 

 full-grown is about eight inches in the head and body, 

 and rather more than a foot in the tail. 



The Black Tamarin (M. ursulus) differs but little 

 from the common one, except in colour. It has the 

 hands black, as well as the other parts of the body, 



but the back is slightly cross-barred with red. It ia 

 understood to be very common in Para, or the coun- 

 try on the left bank of the Amazon, extending 

 south-ward to the point where Paraguay commences. 

 Specimens have not unfrequently been brought to 

 Europe. They are exceedingly irritable in their dis- 

 positions ; and snarl and bite if any one attempts to 

 touch them, which is a disposition not possessed by 

 the common tamarin, or indeed by the genus gene- 

 rally ; but whether, in a state of nature, they display 

 equal pugnacity has not been ascertained. In ail 

 the race indeed, and it may be said in all very small 

 mammalia without exception, there is a certain degree 

 of irritability, and disposition to exercise upon slight 

 occasions such weapons as they possess, which is not 

 found among animals of greater size and strength. 

 This is generally true, not merely of different species, 

 but of different individuals or varieties of the same 

 species, of which the little ones are constantly show- 

 ing their puny fight, while the large ones scorn to 

 take the field, " nisi dignus vindice nodus." 



The Silky Tamarin (M. rosalia) is one of pret- 

 tiest of these animals ; and it is the one which is 

 vulgarly denominated the lion monkey, though the 

 same name is also given to another one which has 

 the body, and also the tail, a little more resembling 

 those of a lion than the present one. The hair upon 

 this species is very fine and silky, and that upon the 

 head, the cheeks, the back part of the lower jaw, and 

 the breast, is long, forming a sort of mane which 

 fancy can imagine to resemble the mane of a lion. 

 The colour is pretty uniform, being a very delicate 

 golden yellow when the animal is in good health ; 

 but it should seem that this healthy state and beauty 

 of colour are both very intimately connected with the 

 warmth and drought of the animal's native country. 

 It has been brought to Europe, and kept there for 

 some time ; but it requires to be protected from the 

 damp with the utmost care ; and in spite of all the 

 care which can be bestowed upon it in this respect, 

 the bright yellow very speedily fades off, the colour 

 becomes dull white, and the animal puts on a heavy 

 and languid appearance. This species is understood 

 to be very decidedly a tree animal, and very closely 

 to resemble the squirrels in all its motions. 



The Lioncito or Lion Tamarin (M. leoninus). This 

 is in some respects the most interesting of all the 

 tamarins, and it is also one of the smallest ; indeed, 

 all things considered, perhaps the smallest of the 

 whole monkey race. It is a native of the dry coun- 

 tries on the eastern slopes of the Andes ; but it never 

 ascends to such a height as that the place of its habi- 

 tation is ever temperate. It is about seven inches 

 and a half long in the body, and eight or nine in the 

 tail ; and both body and tail are very slender in pro- 

 portion to their length, at least with the exception of 

 the point where there is a little tuft, still further in- 

 creasing the lion-like aspect; the tail of this one is 

 covered with shorter hair than that of most of its 

 congeners. The general covering is olive brown, 

 not very unlike the colour of the darker lions. The 

 mane, which is very much produced, is the same 

 colour ; and the back is slightly marked with short 

 cross-bars of yellowish-white. The tail is black above 

 and brown on the under part; the feet are altogether 

 deep black ; and the claws are also black. The 

 annexed cut will give some idea of the general form. 



Humboldt, to whom we owe the best description 

 of this animal, because he visited the interior, and it 



