1872.] MR. P. L. SCLATER ON AMERICAN QUADRTJMANA. 7 



Mr. Salvin has furnished me with the following notes on this 

 species, as observed by himself in Guatemala : — 



"The Mycetes of Guatemala is commonly known as the 'Mono.' 

 It is abundant throughout the virgin forests of the eastern portion of 

 the republic, but is unknown in the forest-clad slopes which stretch 

 towards the Pacific Ocean. In the former region it is found at 

 various altitudes over a wide expanse of country. I have heard its 

 cry on the shores of the lake of Yzabal ; and all through the denser 

 forests of the valley of the river Polochic it is very common, from 

 the steep mountain-road which lies between the upland village of 

 Purula and S. Miguel-Tucuru, and especially in the wilderness of 

 uninhabited forest which stretches from Teleman to the lake of 

 Yzabal. In the unbroken forest-country, which occupies the whole 

 of the northern portion of Vera Paz from Coban and Cahabon to the 

 confines of Peten, it is also abundant ; for seldom an hour passes but 

 the discordant cry of the Mono strikes upon the ear of the traveller 

 as he threads the lonely path to Peten. The elevation of this district 

 varies from about 700 to 3000 feet ; and the Mycetes is found at all 

 heights. "When travelling through this forest in 1862 I was de- 

 pendent for the animal food to supply my party of Indians entirely 

 upon my gun ; and Monos contributed not a little to the larder. 

 The Indians eat Monkey without demur ; but the meat looks dark 

 and untempting. For my own part I far preferred the delicate 

 Tinamou or Curassow, a sufficient supply of which never failed for 

 my own consumption. Perhaps there is no district in Vera Paz 

 where 'Monos' are more abundant than the mountains of Chi- 

 lasco, a cold and damp region, elevated at least 6000 feet above 

 the sea, but where the forest-growth is of the densest description and 

 trees of the largest size abound. It was here that the specimens 

 were obtained that are now in the British Museum. The wonderful 

 cry whence Mycetes gets its trivial name of Howling Monkey is cer- 

 tainly most striking ; and I have sometimes endeavoured to ascertain 

 how far this cry may be heard. It has taken me an hour or more 

 to thread the forest-undergrowth from the time the cry first struck 

 my ear to when, guided by the cry alone, I stood under the tree 

 where the animals were. It would certainly not be overestimating 

 the distance to say two miles. When the sound came over the lake of 

 Yzabal unhindered by trees, a league would be more like the distance 

 at which the Mono's cry may be heard. These animals are found 

 in small companies of five or six. They are usually met with in the 

 upper branches of the highest trees, and, when disturbed, crawl 

 sluggishly along the boughs. The young, as well as the females, are 

 of the same dense black as the old males, but the hair is shorter and 

 not so glossy." 



9. Mycetes palliatus, Gray, P. Z. S. 1848, p. 138, pi. 6 ; v. 

 Frantzius, Wiegm. Arch. 1869, i. p. 254. 



This Mycetes was originally described from examples procured by 

 M. Salle (as he has himself told me) in Nicaragua, where the animal 

 is found in the islands and on the banks of the lake of Nicaragua. 



