180 MONKEYS. 



known to them : it was common in Asia, as well as in Libya, 

 and in the other provinces of Africa, frequented by the Greek 

 and Roman travellers. And this has made me presume, that 

 we musl refer the animals mentioned by Leo the African, and 

 Marmol, to this kind. " These animals (says Marmol) have 

 feet and hands, and, if I may be allowed the expression, a hu- 

 man face, with an appearance of much vivacity and malice : 

 they live upon corn, herbage, and all sorts of fruits, to obtain 

 which they sally forth in large bodies, and plunder the gardens 

 or villages. Before they venture out on this expedition, one 

 of the company ascends an eminence, and surveys the country 

 round. If there is no appearance of any person near, he 

 makes signs to his companions to enter the vineyard or or- 

 chards, and begin their plunder : but as soon as the sentinel 

 perceives any one coming, he instantly sets up a loud cry, and 

 the whole company scamper off with the utmost precipitation, 

 and, jumping from tree to tree, retreat to the mountains. It 

 is a great curiosity to see those animals retreat ; for the fe- 

 males carry four or five young ones upon their backs, and, 

 with this heavy load, leap with great agility from branch to 

 branch, though great numbers of them are taken, notwith- 

 standing all their cunning. When they are angry, they bite ; 

 but while they are coaxed, they are very tame. Those that 

 are tamed perform things almost incredible, and imitate man- 

 kind in almost every action they see them do." The Pithecos 

 has no tail ; its canine teeth are not proportion ably longer than 

 those of mankind ; its face is flat, as are likewise its nails, 

 which are rounded at the top, like those of a man; it walks 

 erect, is about a cubit high, and of a gentle and tractable dis- 

 position. It is, however, a dirty species, and leaves an unplea- 

 sant smell wherever it goes. Besides which it has a mischiev- 

 ous propensity to break and destroy whatever comes in its 

 way. 



The Pigmy Apes are fattened for food by the inhabitants of 

 the country where they are found. The mode of catching 

 them is curious. The Apes sleep in caverns in the woods. 

 Near these haunts the natives place vessels containing strong 



