72 THE PREACHER MONKEY. 



address. Their clamour is the most disagreeable and 

 tremendous that can be conceived*. 



When Oexmchn was in South America, he at- 

 tended the hunting; of these animals, and was sur- 

 prized at their sagacity, not only in distinguishing 

 particularly those who were active against them, but 

 when attacked, in defending themselves, and pro- 

 viding for their own safety. " When we approach- 

 ed," he says, " they all assembled together, uttered 

 loud and fearful cries, and- threw at us dried 

 branches w hich they broke off the trees. I like- 

 wise remarked, that they never abandoned each 

 other : that they leapt from tree to tree with incre- 

 dible agility ; and that they flung themselves head- 

 long from branch to branch withoutever fallingtothe 

 ground, always catching hold either with their hands 

 or tail. If they are not shot dead at once they 

 can never be taken, for even when mortally wound- 

 ed, they remain fixed to the trees, where they often 

 die, and from whence they do not fall till they are 

 corrupted, More than four days after death I have 

 seen them lirmly fixed to the trees ; and thirteen of 

 sixteen of them are frequently shot before three or 

 four of them can be obtained. W^hat is singular, 

 as soon as one is wounded, the rest collect about 

 him. and put their fingers into the wound, as if they 

 meant to sound it ; and when nmcli blood is 

 discharged, some of them keep the orifice shut, 

 while others make a mash of leaves, and dexterously 



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* llis;t. Biazil, quoted in Buftbn's Qviad, 



