204 N ATURALJST'S CABINET. 



Mischievous sagacity. 



hind their back, these monkeys will walk or run 

 on their hind feet for almost any length of time, 

 with the same ease and facility as if this were 

 their natural posture. 



Notwithstanding their gentleness, they are not 

 entirely devoid of that mischievous sagacity for 

 which the whole tribe is remarkable. It is said, 

 that, in their own country, when one of them is 

 beaten, he will immediately climb, with the ut- 

 most agility, a lemon or an orange tree. If he be 

 pursued, he will pick oft' the fruit, and throw it 

 with singular dexterity at the head of his adver- 

 sary; and he sometimes adopts more unpleasant 

 modes of repulsion. On these occasions he as- 

 sumes a thousand ridiculous attitudes, which af- 

 ford considerable diversion to the spectators. 

 They commonly subsist on roots, fruits, &c. : but, 

 for want of better food, they will eat fish ; which 

 they are said to catch with their tails. 



Like most others of the monkey tribe, when 

 on predatory expeditions, they place centinels 

 on the heights of the forest, to give timely warn- 

 ing of the approach of danger. Ulloa asserts, 

 that, in their native forests, when they want to 

 pass from top to top of lofty trees, too distant for 

 a leap, they will form a chain, by hanging down 

 linked to each other by their tails; and swing in 

 this manner till the lowest catches hold of a bough 

 of the next tree, whence he draws the rest up. 

 They are also said to cross rivers, where the 



