THE AMERICAN MONKEYS— SPIDER. 



55 



says : " They live in troops of ten or twelve ; some- 

 times they are found in couples, and not infrequently 

 singly. The presence of troops of these Monkeys 

 is easily detected by the noise they make in bending 

 branches when they are climbing. When one of 

 them is wounded he gives a loud yell and tries to 

 escape. When mothers are shot the very young 

 ones do not leave them, but remain with them even 

 after they are quite dead and stiff, persistently cling- 

 ing to and petting the lifeless bodies. Spider Monk- 

 eys are easily tamed, are good-natured and affec- 

 tionate, but do not bear captivity well. They are 

 subject to skin diseases and diarrhea, and when sick 

 are extremely miserable." The different species are 

 very similar to each other. 

 Various Kinds There are two species which 

 of Spider are round quite frequently 

 Monkeys. m Guiana; the Coaita {Atelcs 

 pamscus), and the Marimonda or Aru 

 (Atelcs belzebuth). The first named is one 

 of the largest of his tribe ; his length is 

 four feet, two inches, the tail taking more 

 than half of this length ; and his shoulder 

 height is about seventeen inches. The fur 

 is harsh, longest on the sides, and forms 

 a crest on the forehead, and is of a deep 

 black. Only the face shows a reddish 

 tinge. Bright brown eyes give the good- 

 natured face a sympathetic look. 



The only representative of the Spider 

 Monkeys in Quito, Panama and Peru is 

 the Chameck (Atelcs paitadactylus). His 

 fur is long and deep black in color and 

 his thumb rudimental. 



The Miriki (Atelcs hypoxanthus) , best 

 described by Max, prince of Wied, inhab- 

 its Brazil. He is about four feet, four 

 inches long, with a strong body, a small 

 head, long limbs and thick, nearly woolly 

 fur. As a rule the fur is of a dull yellow 

 color, the inner sides of the limbs being 

 lighter. The face, devoid of fur, is brown 

 in youth and dark gray in old age. The 

 thumb on the fore-paw consists of a short 

 stub, devoid of nail. 



The best-looking of all Spider Monkeys 

 probably is the Gold-faced Monkey, which 

 was discovered in Eastern Peru by Bart- 

 lett, Jr., and called Ateles Bartlettii in his 

 honor. The long, soft, thick fur is deep 

 black on the upper and outer parts of the 

 body; the hands and the parts of the face 

 that are not covered with hair are brown- 

 black. The forehead shows a band of 

 golden yellow, the whiskers are whitish 

 and the lower part of the body and the 

 inner side of the limbs are brownish yel- 

 low. The size of this magnificent creat- 

 ure is about the same as that of the other 

 Monkeys of this tribe. 



Life of the The life of the Spider 

 Spider Monkeys Monkeys has been de- 

 Described. scribed by Humboldt, 

 Prince Max von Wied and Schomburgk. 

 In Guiana they are found only in the depth of the for- 

 ests and never at a greater elevation than 1,600 feet ; 

 and they shun cold forests on the heights. As a 

 rule they are found in troops of six, more rarely in 

 couples or singly, and still more seldom in greater 

 numbers. Each of these troops quietly goes on its 

 way without heeding other harmless creatures. In 



comparison with the miserable hobbling of the 

 Howlers their movements may be called quick. 

 The considerable length of the limbs is conducive 

 to agility in climbing and jumping. Their arms are 

 so long and, therefore, admit of such rapid progres- 

 sion, that the hunter must move quickly if he wants 

 to keep up with them. They are quite agile when in 

 the tree-tops. They climb well and at times take 

 small leaps, but in every movement they throw their 

 long limbs about in the queerest sort of manner. 

 The tail is usually sent out first, to feel for a place of 

 support, before the Monkey decides to leave the 

 branch upon which he is sitting. Sometimes one 

 finds whole troops hanging to branches by their tails 



HUMBOLDT'S LAGOTHRIX MONKEY.- Was discovered by Humboldt up the 

 river Orinoco. It has fur like a hare, hence its name of Lagothrix, and its face is remark- 

 ably like that of a Negro. It has no howling apparatus, but has a long, prehensile tail. The 

 Lagothrix inhabits the dense forests, feeding on fruits and buds, chiefly, and lives in 

 troops. {Lagothrix humboldtii.) 



only and forming the most striking groups. Not 

 infrequently the whole family lazily lies on boughs, 

 basking in the sun, with their hands on their backs 

 and their eyes turned upwards. On the ground they 

 hobble along so very heavily that it makes one feel 

 quite nervous to look at them. The long tail, which 

 they move despairingly to and fro in the endeavor 



