PERFORMING MONKEYS. 157 



It is said that hogs may be taught to destroy thistles. The 

 tuition consists only in trampling them down, mashing the buds, 

 and sprinkling salt thereon. The hogs eat these at first on ac- 

 count of the salt, but in so doing they acquire a relish for the 

 thistles themselves, and this taste once acquired the thistles are 

 eagerly sought for and devoured. It is claimed that one hog 

 that has been taught in this way will teach all others in the 

 drove. Possibly seeing him eat they imagine they are losing 

 a treat and so eat too. If this statement proves true, the hint 

 may be useful to farmers. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



PERFORMING MONKEYS — IIONKEY EQUESTRIANS — THE "WON- 

 DERFUL CYNOCEPH ALUS'' — ^MONKEY ACTORS, ETC. 



IN training performing monkeys the instructor is greatly aided 

 by that imitative faculty which is a characteristic of the 

 whole monkey family. The intense passion a monkey has for 

 mimicking the actions of persons is well known, and to such an 

 excessive degree is this passion sometimes possessed that several 

 instances are on record of their cutting their own throats while 

 attempting to shave themselves, having observed some man per- 

 forming that operation. It is this imitative instinct which is 

 taken advantage of in preparing monkeys for public exhibition. 

 Indeed, their instruction consists mainly in the teacher perform- 

 ing the act himself, for the monkey to copy. This is the case 

 with such tricks as taking off the hat, fencing with a little tin 

 sword, sweeping with a little broom, and the like. 



During his instruction the pupil has a small leather, belt 

 around his body, to which is attached a cord several yards in 

 length, which the trainer holds. The first thing taught is usu- 

 ally standing on the hind legs ; this is done by holding the cord 

 taut and the gentle application of a switch under the chin. 

 This is not a natural position, still the animal can maintain it 

 with comparative ease. Walking the tight rope is also easily 

 accomplished, and furnished with a light balancing pole, he will 

 go back and forth under the guidance of the " leading string " 

 l3efore mentioned. Jumping barriers or leaping through hoops 

 held in the trainer's hand, is taught by jerking the string and 

 giving the monkey a slight cut with the whip. Hoops covered 



