267 



by turns they supply the office of a cart to convey it to 

 the storehouse. One of the monkeys lies on his back, 

 opens his paws to serve instead of racks, suffers himself 

 to be loaded with hay, and drawn by the rest, who 

 hold him by the tail, and are careful to prevent the 

 carriage being overturned on the road. Their feet 

 are armed with claws, which enable them with great 

 ease to dig into the earth. As soon as they have made 

 a hollow place in it, they throw behind them the dirt 

 they extract from the mine. They pass the greatest 

 part of their life in their habitation; they retire into it 

 during the rain, or on the approach of a storm, or at 

 the sight of some imminent danger. They seldom o L mt 

 it except in fine weather, and go but a little way from 

 it. Whilst some are sporting on the turf, others are 

 busy in cutting it, and a third party are acting as 

 scouts on the eminences, to give notice to the foragers, 

 by a whistle, of the enemy's approach. 



During the winter monkeys eat nothing : the cold 

 benumbs them, suspends, or greatly diminishes per- 

 spiration, and other excretions. The fat, with which 

 their belly is well provided, passes into the blood and 

 restores it. We might affirm that they foresee their 

 lethargy, and are apprized that they shall then have no 

 need of nourishment ; for they do not think of hoard- 

 ing up provisions, as they do materials for furnishing 

 their lodging. 



23. We have greatly admired the ingenious and 

 almost intelligent mechanism by which divers cater- 

 pillars roll up the leaves of trees. You see these ash- 

 leaves that are rolled up like a coffin. They are inha- 

 bited by a little caterpillar, that has formed for itself 

 therein a cone of pure silk, nearly resembling a grain 

 of corn. We cannot examine this cone without opening 

 the coffin ; let us do it with caution. The cone is lodged 

 it the centre : you perceive little gutters on the ex- 

 terior part of it. Observe particularly in what manner 

 this little cone is suspended iu the middle of the coffin, 

 by the help of a thread, one of whose extremities i$ 



VOL. iv. N 



