14 VERTEBRATA. MAMMALIA. 



sucking the leg-bone of a fowl. At that time it did 

 not relish wine, but afterwards seemed to like it, 

 though it never could endure ardent spirits. Once 

 it stole a bottle of wine, which it uncorked with its 

 teeth, and immediately began to drink. It showed a 

 predilection for coffee, and was immoderately fond of 

 sweet articles of food. It learned to feed itself with 

 a spoon, drink out of a glass, and showed a disposi- 

 tion to imitate many of the actions of men. It was 

 attracted by bright metals, and seemed to take a 

 pride in clothing, and often put a cocked-hat on its 

 head. It was dirty in its habits, and was never 

 known to wash itself. It lived with Captain Payne 

 seventeen weeks, two of which were spent in Cork 

 and Liverpool. On coming to Liverpool, it lan- 

 guished a few days, moaned heavily, was oppressed 

 in its breathing, and died with convulsive motions 

 of its limbs." * Bingley states, that Allemand, the 

 Dutch professor of natural history, having received 

 many vague and unsatisfactory accounts respecting 

 an animal of this kind, wrote to Mr. May, a captain 

 in the Dutch naval service, stationed at Surinam. 

 This gentleman had one, which he had brought from 

 Guinea ; it was nearly five feet and a half in height, 

 and very strong and powerful. Mr. May had seen 

 him take up his master, a stout man, by the middle, 

 and fling him a pace or two from him ; and one day 

 he seized a soldier, who happened to pass carelessly 

 near the tree to which he was chained, and, if his 



* Wernerian Transactions, vol. iii. p. 4. 



