198 APES AND MONKEYS. 



THE SILKY MARMOSET (Midas rosalia). 



The last group of the marmosets is represented by the well-known silky mar- 

 moset, shown in the figure on the preceding page, and the golden-headed marmoset ; 

 both of which inhabit the forests of South-Eastern Brazil, and are commonly 

 exhibited in the menageries of Europe. They are distinguished by having the 

 head and part of the neck covered with long hair, forming a kind of mane ; 

 the hair round the face being directed backwards. The face itself is but sparsely 

 haired ; and the naked ears are partly concealed by the mane. The colour is a 

 bright golden yellow, more or less tinged w r ith red ; but there is a variety in which 

 the head, hands, and feet, as well as the end of the tail, are blackish. 



The silky marmoset was known to Buffon under the name of the Marikina ; 

 and has also been described as the lion marmoset (If. leoninus). Mr. Bates, 

 who alludes to it under the latter name, which is due to the long mane of brown 

 hair hanging from the neck giving it very much the appearance of a miniature 

 lion, states that he once saw a tame individual of this species when on the upper 

 Amazon. After commenting on its playful and intelligent disposition, he observes 

 that it was familiar with every person in the house where it was kept; and 

 seemed to take particular pleasure in climbing about the bodies of the various 

 visitors who entered. " The first time I went in," writes Mr. Bates, " it ran across 

 the room straightway to the chair on which I had sat down, and climbed up to 

 my shoulder ; arrived there, it turned round and looked in my face, showing its 

 little teeth, and chattering, as though it would say, * Well, and how do you do ? ' 

 It i showed more affection towards its master than towards strangers, and would 

 climb up to his head a dozen times in the course of an hour." These marmosets 

 are described as keeping to the very top of their cages a habit probably retained 

 from the native one of living in the tree-tops. When descending they always 

 come down backwards, with the tail pendent. Mr. Swainson, who observed 

 these animals in their native Brazilian forests, states that their ways are very 

 similar to those of the common marmoset. He mentions, however, their habit of 

 bounding from tree to tree with incredible rapidity, which is scarcely consonant 

 with the account given by Mr. Bates of the movements of marmosets in general. 

 They are stated to utter sharp but weak cries of alarm when frightened. 



The total length of this marmoset is rather less than two feet, of which one 

 is occupied by the long tail. 



The golden-headed marmoset (M. chrysomelas) may be regarded as a black 

 representative of the preceding species; its general colour being black, with the 

 face, fore-arms, hands, feet, and the base of the tail tawny. 



