36 



ZO OL O G1CAL SKE TCHES. 



ging the hinge with a wooden wedge, and the next time 

 I released him he mounted the cage as soon as I turned 

 my back, and began to scrutinize the door with the un- 

 mistakable intent of discovering the obstructive innova- 

 tion. In the first month after his arrival in the United 

 States he was sitting in the chimney-corner with a little 

 Brazilian coaita, when the cold rain suddenly changed 

 into a snow-storm. Both monkeys flew to the window, 

 and, after contemplating the phenomenon in mute sur- 

 prise for the space of ten or twelve minutes, began to 

 exchange inquiring looks with a peculiar sotto-voce chat- 

 ter, as if the portent had almost taken away their breath. 

 But the conduct of the coaita may have been prompted 

 merely by the example of her elder companion, for she 

 contents herself with enjoying the warmth of the fire- 

 place, while the Asiatic seems to take an abstract in- 

 terest in the process of combustion, the crackling of the 

 fuel especially, and the occasional eruption of a streak of 

 flaming gases. Not far from my present dwelling-place 

 a suburban railroad company is digging away at a lime- 

 stone bluff in the way of a projected branch line. The 

 heavier rocks are drilled and fractured with dynamite, 

 and about every six hours a series of detonations go 

 off in quick succession like the shots of a Gatling gun. 

 My menagerie-box is a picture at such moments. The 

 four-handers at once huddle together and accompany 

 each discharge with a convulsive start or a simultaneous 

 attempt to force the door, while the quadrupeds just look 



