451 ALOUATTES, OE HOWLERS. 



to the poison. The hunter, in consequence, supplies himself 

 with a small quantity of salt. As soon as he has shot a 

 monkey, he follows it through the forest, till, the poison be- 

 ginning to take effect, it falls exhausted into his arms. He 

 then immediately puts a pinch of salt in its mouth, and in a 

 short time the creature revives, and is led away captive. If 

 old, however, when thus caught, it appears to be discontented 

 in confinement, and, seldom becoming tame, in a short time 

 pines away and dies. When a young one is thus caught, it 

 frequently becomes a playful and interesting pet, and is highly 

 valued by the Brazilians. 



Further to the west, an allied species of this monkey is 

 found, clothed with red instead of white hair ; Avhile, at a still 

 greater distance, a black-faced and gray -haired species takes 

 the place of the two former. 



ALOUATTES, OR HOWLERS. 



The voyager up the Amazon, or one of its numerous tribu- 

 taries, when his montaria has been moored to the banks, a fire 

 lighted to keep prowling jaguars or pumas at a respectful 

 distance, his hammock hung up in his temporaiy hut, and he 

 is expecting to enjoy a quiet night's rest, is, ere long, often 

 awoke by the sound of the most fearful howling proceeding 

 from the recesses of the forest. Now it sounds like the di^ead- 

 ful roar of the jaguar as it springs on its prey. Now it 

 changes to the terrible and deep-toned growlings of the wild 

 beast as he is pressed on all sides by his foes, and now it 

 seems like his last dying moan beneath a mortal wound. 

 Nothing can be more dismal or dispiriting than the fearful 

 uproar. Hour after houi' it goes on during the night, increas- 

 ing as the dawn approaches. Now the howls come from one 



