82 THE COAITA. 



The Chameck is a native of various parts of Brazil, where it is found rather profusely. 

 From all accounts, it seems to be a very gentle creature, and susceptible of a high amount 

 of cultivation. It does not appear tq be so capricious of temper as the monkeys of 

 the Old World, and although playful when in the humor for sport, is not so spitefully 

 tricky as its transatlantic relatives. It soon learns to distinguish those persons who 

 treat it with kindness, and will often enter into playful mock combats, pretending to 

 inflict severe injuries, but never doing any real damage. 



It is not a very large animal, the length of its body being about twenty inches, and 

 the tail just over two feet in length. The fur is tolerably long, and falls densely over 

 the body and limbs. 



On referring to the engraving it will be seen that the hair is longer than usual by the 

 region of the hips, and rather thickly overhangs the hinder quarters. This arrange- 

 ment seems to stand the creature in place of the callosities which have so often been 

 alluded to, and which are not possessed by the Cebidae. These monkeys are also 

 destitute of cheek-pouches, but, as if to compensate them for the want.of these append- 

 ages; they are furnished with an additional supply of teeth, having thirty-six instead 

 of thirty-two, which is the ordinary complement. 



The nostrils are very different from those of the monkeys which have already been 

 described, as they open at the sides instead of underneath, and are separated from each 

 other by a wide piece of cartilage. The ear is less unlike that of man than is the case 

 with the greater part of the monkey tribe, the greatest distinction between the two 

 being that the ear of the monkey is destitute of that soft lower lobe, which is so 

 characteristic of the human ear, and through which ladies barbarously hook their 

 auricular trinkets. 



If the reader will refer to the illustration of the Chameck, he will see that the tail is 

 the most conspicuous member of the animal. For the greater part of its length it is 

 thickly covered with long drooping fur, but the last seven or eight inches are nearly 

 denuded of hair on the upper surface, and entirely so on the lower. Towards the base 

 it is extremely thick, and is furnished with muscles of great strength and marvellous 

 flexibility, destined to aid the member in the performance of those curiously active 

 movements for which these monkeys are so renowned. 



The tail of these animals is to them equivalent, and more than equivalent, to a fifth 

 hand. The naked extremity is endowed with so sensitive a surface that it can be 

 applied to most of the uses to which the hand can be put, while the powerful muscles 

 that move it are so strong and lithe that they can exert a singular amount of strength, 

 even so as to suspend the entire weight of the animal. 



In ascending trees or traversing the branches, the monkeys continually aid their 

 progress by twining the end of the tail round the neighboring boughs. Sometimes 

 they even suspend themselves wholly by their tails, and after giving their bodies a few 

 oscillating movements, boldly swing themselves from one branch to another, clearing 

 considerable spaces in the effort. On account of these capabilities, the tail is known 

 by the name of "prehensile." 



The color of the Chameck is nearly black, and of an uniform tint over the head, 

 body, and limbs. Its hair is rather long and thick, in some parts taking a slight curl. 

 The head is very small in proportion to the rest of the body. During the life of the 

 animal the face is of a deep brown color, as are the ears, cheeks, and chin, on which 

 some long black hairs are scattered at distant intervals. Its lips are possessed of some 

 mobility, but not equal to those of the chimpanzee or orang-outang. 



The COAITA, or QUATA, as the word is frequently written, resembles the chameck 

 in many characteristics. 



It is one of the best known of this group of animals, which are called by the name 

 of Spider Monkeys, on account of their long sprawling limbs, and their peculiar action 

 while walking. 



It is very remarkable, that although these creatures appear to be much less calcu- 

 lated for bipedal locomotion than the large apes, they should really be better walkers than 

 most of the monkey tribe. When placed on a level surface and desirous to walk 



