34 



THE CAPUCIN MONKEYS. 



ive pertinacity, and driving far from his wearied senses the slumber 

 which he courts, but courts in vain. 



In order that an animal of so limited a size should be enabled to 

 produce sounds of such intensity and volume, a peculiar structure of 

 the vocal organs is necessary. 



The instrument by means of which the Howlers make night dismal 

 with their funestral wailings is found to be the " hyoid bone," a portion 

 of the form which is very slightly developed in man, but very largely 

 in these monkeys. In man the bone in question gives support to the 

 tongue and is attached to numerous muscles of the neck. In the Howl- 

 ing Monkeys it takes a wider range of duty, and, by a curious modifica- 

 tion of structure, forms a bony drum, which communicates with the 

 windpipe and gives to the voice that powerful resonance which has 

 made the Alouattes famous. 



The Caplcin Monkeys, an example of which is here given, are 

 active little animals, lively and playful. In habits, all the species 



seem to be very 

 similar, so that 

 the description of 

 one will serve 

 equally for any 

 other. In conse- 

 quence of their 

 youth and sport- 

 ive manners they 

 are frequently 

 kept in a domes- 

 ticated state, both 

 by the native In- 

 dians and by Eu- 

 ropean settlers. 

 Like several oth- 

 er small monkeys, 

 theCapucin oi'ten 

 strikes up a 

 friendship for oth- 

 er animals that 

 may happen to 



live in or near its home, the cat being one of the most favored of 

 its allies. Sometimes it carries its familiarity so far as to turn 

 the cat into a steed for the nonce, and, seated upon her back, to 

 perambulate the premises. More unpromising subjects for equestrian 

 exercise have been pressed into the service by the Capucin. Humboldt 

 mentions one of these creatures which was accustomed to catch a pig 



The Capucin {Cebus leucogenys). 



