154 



APES AND MONKEYS. 



attract attention to them. On one occasion the traveller mentioned above observed 

 a party of these sapajous despoiling an orange tree of its fruit. They were led on 

 by an old male, the females carrying their young on their shoulders. When all had 

 reached the tree, some commenced to eat the luscious fruit as soon as plucked, while 

 others carried off their share to the stronger boughs of the neighb6uring trees in 

 order to secure a better resting-place in which to devour their plunder at leisure. 

 These seated themselves on such boughs, with their tails firmly curled round the 

 same, and, placing the oranges between their hind legs, tried to open the skin with 

 their fingers. If they did not quickly succeed in this, they flung the fruit against 

 another bough in order by this means to soften the rind, at the same time venting 

 their displeasure at this unnecessary trouble by snarls and growls. Probably on 

 account of its bitter taste, none of them attempted to tear off the rind with their 

 teeth, but, as soon as an opening was made with their fingers, they proceeded to 

 tear out the juicy pulp, licking up the juice as it flowed out, and then eating the 

 pulp itself. When satisfied with their repast, the elder members of the family 

 stretched themselves along the boughs to sleep; while the juniors gamboled around, 

 swinging themselves by their tails from the branches, or going up them hand-over- 

 hand, like sailors up a rope. The gambols of these young ones are, however, 

 described as being awkward and ungainly, instead of light and graceful. The 

 mothers exhibited great care towards their young, carefully tending them, and 

 assiduously dressing and searching their fur. 



On another occasion the same traveller had the good fortune to witness a troop 

 of these sapajous descending from the forest to pillage a maize field. They were 

 seen to climb cautiously down from the trees, and venture by twos and threes into 

 the maize field ; and, having hastily gathered a few cobs, returned with all speed to 

 the forest to devour them at leisure. On the appearance of the spectator of their 

 movements, the whole of the members of the troop in the field promptly scampered 

 back to the trees, not forgetting, however, to carry with them their booty. Rengger 

 then shot a female carrying off a young one, which, though badly wounded, clung 

 for some time by her tail to a bough. At length, however, she fell lifeless to the 

 ground, with the young one still tightly clinging to her body ; and, indeed, it was 

 not until the body had become cold that the hold was released. The young capuchin 

 thus caught readily became tame, and would recognise its master even in the dark 

 by the mere touch of his clothes. When wearied, it uttered a low whistling sound ; 

 and, when it had occasion to demand any particular object, it groaned. Its 

 anger was expressed in rough tones resembling the syllables " hu ! hn ! " fear by 

 shrieks, and pleasure by soft chuckles. 



When captured young the capuchin is always easily tamed, but older animals 

 refuse all food, become mopish, and do not live more than a few weeks. The 

 younger ones soon take to their masters, and exhibit remarkable fidelity. They 

 become, however, more readily attached to coloured than to white people ; and they 

 are generally very fond of other animals, so that in Paraguay it is a common 

 custom to bring them up with a young dog, upon which they ride. To some 

 persons they at once conceive a rooted dislike, which cannot be eradicated. Their 

 intelligence is shown by the manner in which they learn to open an egg ; most of 

 the contents being lost at the first trial, but carefully secured at the second attempt. 



