514 QUADRUMANA. 



state of nature, nothing has been ascertained. Its manners in captivity, 

 as observed by Col. Sykes, " are grave and sedate. Its disposition is 

 gentle, but not affectionate : and though free from that capricious petulance 

 and mischievous irascibility characteristic of so many of the African species, 

 still it quickly resents irritating treatment, and evinces its resentment by 

 very smart blows with its anterior hands. It never bit any person on board 

 ship, but so seriously lacerated three Monkeys, its fellow passengers, 

 that two of them died from the wounds. It readily ate meat, and would 

 choose to pick a bone, even when plentifully supplied with vegetables 

 and dried fruits." 



Mr. Ogilby informs us, that he has seen a second individual of this 

 species in the possession of a travelling showman, and that it " strongly 

 exhibited the same antipathy to other Monkeys that Col. Sykes has 

 recorded in the case of his specimen. It even flew upon a stuffed skin 

 which its owner threw down to it, and worried it with all the hatred and 

 fury of a Terrier against a Rat. In other respects, and toward its 

 master and visitors, it appeared to be as docile and good-natured as the 

 individual observed by Col. Sykes, and this is, no doubt, the natural 

 character of the species." 



The country whence this second specimen was brought, could not be 

 ascertained. 



A third specimen has very recently (1840) been added to the living 

 inmates of the menagerie of the Zoological Society, London, and is 

 said to have been brought from Madagascar, a singular coincidence, 

 as the specimen obtained by Col. Sykes was also reported to have 

 been obtained there ; still, as no Monkeys have been hitherto observed 

 by European residents in the woods of Madagascar, where the Lemurs 

 supply their place, we are inclined to doubt the correctness of the 

 inference, as to that island being the native locality of this species, 

 and to consider the Comoro Islands, or the Mozambique coast, as its 

 true habitat. The individual in question is tolerably gentle, but seems 

 reserved and unsociable, avoiding the other inmates of its cage, or 

 driving them from it, as if indisposed to gambol with them ; it appears, 

 indeed, to be more apathetic than the Cercopitheci generally are ; and, 

 if destitute of the malice of some, it has nothing of the liveliness and 

 inquisitive disposition of others. 



