THE BLACK MACAQUE. 



57 



chase. Sometimes the Magot contracts a strong friendship for its master, and being 

 desirous to render every service in its power, jumps on his shoulder, and examines 

 his head with much care, though, we may hope, with little ultimate satisfaction. 



It often happens that the domesticated Magot takes a fancy for some other animals 

 that may chance to come in its way, especially if they are young and comparatively 

 helpless. It then acts as a voluntary nurse, and performs sundry kind offices for its 

 charge, carrying them about with it, and, like nurses, in general, becomes horribly 

 jealous if its authority be in the least infringed. 



Its attitudes are rather singular. When walking or running, it goes chiefly on 

 all-fours, but when it wishes to rest, it sits in a manner very similar to the correspond- 

 ing attitude in man ; when sleeping it generally lies extended at length, reclining on 

 one side, or gathered up in a seated position, with its head drooping between its hind 

 legs. 



In the absence of a tail, and in general form, the BLACK MACAQUE bears some resem- 

 blance to the Magot, but in color 

 and arrangement of hair it is en- 

 tirely distinct from that animal. 



The tint of the fur is as deep 

 a black as that of the Budeng, or 

 Black Colobus, which was men- 

 tioned on p. 42. Both these mon- 

 keys are possessed of crests which 

 give a peculiar character to the 

 whole aspect. That of the Black 

 Colobus, however, is reverted for- 

 ward, and curves to a point over 

 the forehead, while that of the ani- 

 mal before us rises from the head 

 and bends backward over the neck 

 in a manner not unlike that of the 

 cockatoo. 



Like the Magot, the Black Ma- 

 caque has been called an ape by 

 some writers, and a baboon by 

 others, on account of the apology 

 for a tail with which its hinder 

 quarters are terminated, but not decorated. It is an inhabitant of the Philippines 

 and the neighboring countries. 



THERE are few races of animals which have not been impressed by their human 

 superiors into their service. Although the bodily powers of man are often mqre limit- 

 ed than those of the inferior animals, yet the lofty human intellect can more than 

 compensate for corporeal deficiencies by making use of these faculties which are 

 possessed by the subservient creation. 



Thus the Indian hunters take advantage of the active and stealthy cheetah to 

 capture the prey which is too vigilant of sight and too active of foot to be approached 

 by man. 



In the bird-kingdom, the falcons take the place of the cheetah, and chase through 

 the realms of air those creatures whose wings would carry them beyond the grasp of 

 man or the range of any weapon which he could devise. 



Again, the otter and the cormorant are both employed for the capture of fish in their 

 native element, although the one is a quadruped and the other a bird. 



The ponderous strength of the elephant, and the drought-enduring powers of the 

 camel, are equally utilized by man ; and indeed, throughout the whole creation, whether 

 of animate or inanimate bodies, there is perhaps no one object that cannot, either 

 directly or indirectly, be converted to some human use. 



Some there are, which are more directly profitable than others, among which 

 may be enumerated the long list of domesticated animals which are familiar to us 



BLACK MACAQUE. yffacacus Niger. 



