114 THE TOWER MENAGERIE. 
under a certain degree of restraint they appear con- 
tented and happy, are fond of play, and take pleasure 
in the caresses of their friends, and even of strangers; 
but however long this kind of domestication may have 
continued, and how much soever they may seem recon- 
ciled to their confinement, the moment the restraint is 
withdrawn and they feel themselves again at liberty, the 
love of freedom prevails over every other consideration, 
and they become as wild as if they had never been 
reclaimed. In eating, they commonly support them- 
selves on their hind legs, and carry their food to the 
mouth between their fore paws, having first plunged it 
in water, if the liquid element, of which they are remark- 
ably fond, is within reach. This singular peculiarity, 
the object of which is not very obvious, but from which 
the animal derives his specific name, does not, however, 
appear to be constant and uniform, being frequently 
entirely neglected. The same may be said of their 
fondness for shell-fish and mollusca, for which they are 
generally stated to have a great partiality ; some of them, 
like the handsome pair now living in the Menagerie, 
displaying the greatest address and dexterity in opening 
the shell of an oyster, and extracting its contents, while 
others absolutely refuse to touch it. 
