THE SAI. 



93 



As is the case with the two previously-mentioned animals, it is an inhabitant of the 

 Brazils, and as lively as any of its congeners. The tails of the Capucins are covered 

 with hair, but are still possessed of prehensile powers. All these monkeys seem to be 

 possessed of much intelligence, and their little quaint ways make them great favorites 

 with those who watch their motions. 



Their food is chiefly of a vegetable nature, but they are fond of various insects, some- 

 times rising to higher prey, as was once rather unexpectedly proved. A linnet was 

 placed, by way of experiment, in a cage containing two Capucin monkeys, who pounced 

 upon their winged visitor, caught it, and the stronger of the two devoured it with such 

 avidity that it would not even wait to pluck off the feathers. Eggs are also thought 

 to form part of the Capucin's food, 



S\l.Cebus Capacious. 



There is always much difficulty with regard to the names of various animals, as 

 almost every systematic naturalist prefers a name of his own invention to one which 

 has already been in use. It often happens, therefore, that the same creature has 

 been burdened with ten or fifteen titles, given to it by as many writers. The chacma, 

 for example, has been named " Cynocephalus porcarius " by one author, " Simia 

 porcaria " by another, " Simia sphingiola " by a third, " Papio comatus " by a fourth, 

 and " Cynocephalus ursinus " by a fifth. In order to avoid the great waste of valuable 

 space that would be caused by giving a list of these various names, I only make 

 use of the title by which each animal is designated in the catalogue of the British 

 Museum, and under which name it may be fpund in that magnificent collection. 



A very pretty genus of monkeys comes next in order, deriving, from the beauty of 

 their fur, the term Callithrix, or "beautiful hair." Sometimes these animals are 

 called Squirrel Monkeys, partly on account of their shape and size, and partly from 

 the squirrel-like activity that characterizes these light and graceful little creatures. 



