THE HOWLERS. 195 



seen taking off their young from their shoulders and throwing 

 them down to the foot of the tree. I am inclined to believe 

 that a movement merely accidental has been mistaken for one 

 that was premeditated. The Arguatoes, on account of their 

 mournful aspect and their uniform howlings, are at once 

 detested and calumniated by the Indians." 



Mr. Wallace, in a paper "On the Monkeys of the Amazon,' 

 in the " Proceedings of the Zoological Society," says : " Hum- 

 boldt observes that the tremendous noise which these Howlers 

 make can only be accounted for by the great number of indi- 

 viduals that unite in its production. My own observations, 

 and the unanimous testimony of the Indians, prove this not to 

 be the case, one individual alone making the howling, which 

 is certainly of a remarkable depth and volume and curiously 

 modulated; but on closely remarking the suddenness with 

 which it ceases and again commences, it is evident that it is 

 produced by one animal, which is generally a full-grown 

 male." 



The flesh of this species is very good to eat, and furnishes 

 the principal food of the inhabitants of the regions in which it 

 abounds. 



II. THE BLACK HOWLER. ALOUATTA NIGRA. 



Stentor carnya, Humb. and Bonpl., Obs. Zool., i., p. 355 (1811 



ex Azara). 

 Mycetes barbatus, Spix, Sim. et Vespert., Bras., p. 46, pis. 32, 33 



(1811). 

 Stentor niger (male), S. stramineus (female), Geoffr., Ann. 



Mus., xix., p. 108 (1812 ; nee Spix). 

 Kfycetes caraya, Less., Sp. Mamm. Bi manes et Quadrum., p. 



122 (1840); Gray, Cat. Monkeys Brit. Mus., p. 41 (part). 



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