36 THE MARIKINA. 



concealment. During sleep it gathers all its four feet closely together, 

 and drops its head between its fore-paws. It seems to be one of the 

 owls of the monkey race. 



The food of this Douroucouli is mostly of an animal nature, and 

 consists chiefly of insects and small birds, which it hunts and captures 

 in the night season. After dark the Douroucouli awakes from the 

 torpid lethargy in which it has spent the day, and, shaking off its drow- 

 siness, becomes filled with life and spirit. The large dull eyes, that 

 shrank from the dazzling rays of the sun, light up with eager anima- 

 tion at eventide, the listless limbs are instinct with fiery activity, every 

 sense is aroused to keen perception, and the creature sets oflT on its 

 nightly quest. Such is then its agile address that it can capture even 

 the quick-sighted and ready-w^inged flies as they flit by, striking rapid 

 blows at them with its little paws. 



The general color of the Douroucouli is a grayish white, over which 

 a silvery lustre plays in certain lights. The spine is marked with a 

 brown line, and the breast, abdomen, and inside of the limbs are 

 marked with a very light chestnut, almost amounting to orange. The 

 face is remarkable for three very distinct black lines, which radiate 

 from each other, and which have earned for the animal the title of 

 " Trivergatus," or " three-striped." There are but very slight external 

 indications of ears, and in order to expose the organs of hearing, it is 

 necessary to draw aside the fur of the head. On account of this pecu- 

 liarity, Humboldt separated the Douroucouli from its neighbors and 

 formed it into a distinct family, which he named "Aotes," or " earless." 



Guiana and Brazil are the countries where this curious little animal 

 is found. Although by no means an uncommon species, it is not taken 

 very plentifully, on account of its monogamous habits. The male and 

 its mate may often be discovered sleeping snugly together in one bed, 

 but never in greater numbers, unless there may be a little family at 

 the time. Its cry is singularly loud, considering the small size of the 

 animal which utters it, and bears some resemblance to the roar of the 

 jaguar. Besides this deep-toned voice, it can hiss or spit like an angry 

 cat, mew with something of a cat-like intonation, and utter a guttural, 

 short, and rapidly-repeated bark. The fur is used for the purpose of 

 covering pouches and similar articles. 



Among the various members of the monkey tribe there is hardly 

 any species that can compare with the exquisite little Marikina for 

 either grace of form or soft beauty of color. 



The hair with which this creature is covered is of a bright and 

 lustrous chestnut, with a golden sheen playing over its long glossy 

 locks. To the touch, the fur of the Marikina is peculiarly smooth 

 and silken ; and from this circumstance it is sometimes called the 

 Silky Monkey. 



