THE PREACHER AND FAIR MONKEYS. M AUCAUCOES. 35 



THE PREACHER MONKEY. 



Buffon calls this species the ouraine. It is about the size 

 of a fox ; has long black hair, black shining eyes, and a 

 round beard under the chin and throat ; the tail is of con- 

 siderable length, and twisted at the end. This species in- 

 habits the woods of Brazil and Guinea. It is common for 

 one of these creatures to ascend a tree, while the rest of 

 its kind remain silent spectators beiow : it then sets up a 

 loud and shrill howl, which may be heard at some distance ; 

 and after having (as it were) harangued its brethren for 

 some time, it makes a signal with its hand, when the 

 whole assembly join in chorus, which they continue till a 

 second signal commands silence. The noise on such 

 occasions is more hideous than can well be imagined. 

 These creatures are very fierce and intractable. 



FAIR MONKEY. 



This is the mico of Buffon, and is a very beautiful and 

 elegant species. The head is small and round, and the 

 face and ears are of a lively vermilion colour ; its body is 

 about eight inches long, and its tail twelve. These ani- 

 mals inhabit the sequestered banks of the river of the 

 Amazons. Condamine, to whom one of them was pre- 

 sented by the governor of Para, informs us that the hair 

 of the body was more venerably white than any human 

 hair, while the tail was of a deep brown, inclining to 

 blackness. 



MAUCAUCOES. 



THIS genus of animals has still some faint resemblance 

 to the monkey tribe ; and may be considered as the last link 

 in tilt; chain of animals that have something of the human 

 conformation. However, in maucaucoes we trace no more 

 of this than in the shape of their fore-feet, which they use 

 as hands : in all other respects they are wholly different, 

 and bear a stronger likeness to the fox, than to the monkey. 

 c 6 



