THE MONKEY KIND. 



413 



ferent kinds of these animals; all varying 

 from each other in colour or size, but agree- 

 ing in the human-like figure of their hands 

 and feet, and in their long nose, which some- 

 what resembles that of a dog. As most of 

 these are bred in the depths of the forest, we 

 know little more concerning them than their 

 figure. Their way of living, their power of 

 pursuit and escape, can only be supposed, 

 from the analogy of their conformation, some- 

 what to resemble those of the monkey. 



The first of this kind is the MOCOCO ; a beau- 

 tiful animal, about the size of a common cat, 

 but the body and limbs slenderer, and of a 

 longer make. It has a very long tail, at least 

 double the length of its body ; it is covered 

 with fur, and marked alternately with broad 

 rings of black and white. But what it is 

 chiefly remarkable for, besides the form of its 

 hands and feet, is the largeness of its eyes, 

 which are surrounded with a broad blark 

 space ; and the length of the hinder legs, 

 which by far exceed those before. When it 

 sleeps, it brings its nose to its belly, and ifs 

 tail over its head. When it plays, it uses a 

 sort of galloping, with its tail raised over its 

 back, which keeps continually in motion. 

 The head is covered with dark ash-coloured 

 hair; the back and sides with a red ash-colour, 

 and not so dark as on the head ; and the 

 whole glossy, soft, and drlicate, smooth to the 

 touch, and standing almost upright like the 

 pile of velvet. It is a native of Madagascar ; 

 appears to be a harmless gentle animal ; and 

 though it resembles the monkey in many re- 

 spects, yet it has neither its malice nor its mis- 

 chief: nevertheless, like the monkey, it seems 

 to be always in motion ; and moves, like all 

 four-handed animals, in an oblique direction. 



A second of this kind, which is also a na- 

 tive of Madagascar, is the MONGOZ ; which is 

 less than the former ; with a soft glossy robe, 

 but a little curled. The nose also is thicker 

 than that of tho mococo ; the eyes are black, 

 with orange-coloured circles round the pupil ; 

 and the tail is of one uniform colour. As to 

 the rest, it is found of various colours ; some 

 being black, others brown ; and its actions 

 somewhat resemble those of a monkey. 



The VARI is much larger than either of the 

 former ; its hair is much longer, and it has a 

 kind of ruff round the neck, consisting of very 

 long hair, by which it may be easily distin- 



guished from the rest. It differs also in its 

 disposition, which is fierce and savage ; as also 

 in the loudness of its voice, which somewhat 

 resembles the roaring of the lion. This also 

 is a native of Madagascar. 



To this tribe we may refer a little four-hand- 

 ed animal, of the island of Ceylon, which Mr. 

 Buffon calls the LORI ; very remarkable for 

 the singularity of its figure. This is, of all 

 other animals, the longest in proportion to its 

 size ; having nine vertebrae in the loins ; 

 whereas other quadrupeds have only seven.* 

 The body appears still the longer by having 

 no tail. In other respects, it resembles those 

 of the maki kind ; as well in its hands and 

 feet, as in its snout, and in the glossy qualities 

 of its hair. It is about the size of a squirrel ; 

 and appears to be a tame, harmless little ani- 

 mal. 



OF THE OPPOSSUM, AND ITS KINDS. 



To these four-handed animals of the ancient 

 continent, we may add the four-handed ani- 

 mals of the new, that use their hands like the 

 former, as well as their tails, and that fill up 

 the chasm between the monkey tribe and the 

 lower orders of the forest. As the maki kind 

 in some measure seem to unite the fox and the 

 monkey in their figure and size, so these seem 

 to unite the monkey and the rat. They are 

 all less than the former ; they have long tails, 

 almost bare of hair ; and their fur, as well as 

 their shape, seems to place them near the rat 

 kind. Some have accordingly ranked them 

 in that class; but their being four handed is 

 a sufficient reason for placing them in the rear 

 of the monkeys. 



The first, and the most remarkable of this 

 tribe, is the OPPOSSUM, an animal found both 

 in North and South America, of the size of a 

 small cat. The head resembles that of a fox ; 

 it has fifty treth in all, but two great ones in 

 the midst like those of a rat. The eyes are 

 little, round, clear, lively, and placed upright, 

 the ears are longj broad, and transparent, like 

 those of the rat kind ; its tail also increases 

 the similitude, being round, long, a little hairy 

 in the beginning, but quite naked Kwards the 

 end. The fore legs are short, being about 

 three inches long ; while those behind are 



a Biiflbn, vol. xxvi. p. 274. 



3Q 



