THE CHAMECK. 



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saurians of aeons long passed away, leaving but their dry and fossil remains as records 

 of an evil time that has been, but is no longer. So with mankind. The wild beasts 

 melt away before the savage man, and the human wild beasts die out before the resist- 

 less march of higher races ; and thus the earth is gradually purified and regenerated. 

 Imperfect though it be, the world is better than it has ever been, and it rests with each 

 individual who is placed upon it, to aid by his own efforts the advancement of the orb 

 on which he lives, and the progress of that vast humanity of which he forms a part. 



In each embodiment of the prevailing idea there is a strong individuality, which 

 causes great modifications in the external form, according to the time, place, and 

 climate, in which the animal is intended to pass its existence. 



The lion, tiger, wolf, bear, and weasel, are all rapacious animals, being inspired with 

 the same prevailing principle ; but each carries out that principle in its own way, and 

 thus performs its allotted task without interfering with the work which is assigned to 

 any other being. As with the mammals, so with the birds, the eagle, vulture, owl, and 

 shrike, being examples of different kinds of rapacity. The same remark may be made 

 upon the instances which have just been quoted from the reptiles and the fishes. 



CHAMECK.- Ateles Chameck. 



So, all the parts of the world are filled with endless variety, and whether by night or 

 day, in the fierce rays of the tropical sun, or under the sunless winter of the polar regions, 

 earth, air, and water, are peopled with infinite multitudes of living forms, each perform- 

 ing its allotted task in working out its individual portion of the universal principle. 



It appears to be only consistent with reason, to suppose that this system is not solely 

 confined to the animal kingdom, but reigns through the entire creation, and that even 

 in vegetable and mineral objects we may discover the same beautiful order to prevail. 



The curiously shaped monkey which is represented in the above engraving, is an 

 excellent example of the Cebidae, or Sapajous, as they are often called. 



The name "Ateles," which is given to the entire genus to which this animal belongs, 

 signifies " imperfect," and has been applied to the creatures because the fore-paws are 

 devoid of useful thumbs. Sometimes that member is almost entirely absent, and in 

 other instances it only just shows itself. 



In the CHAMECK, the thumb is slightly projecting, but even in this case it has only a 

 single joint, and is not furnished with a nail after the usual custom of thumbs and fin- 

 gers. Even when the thumb reaches its greatest size, it cannot be used as the human 

 thumb, as it is not capable of being opposed to the fingers. 

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