ORDER QUADRUMANA. 263 



quotations, that they are little else than a vain parade of 

 reading — that among' all the authors thus cited, very few 

 indeed have been original observers, and the great majority 

 mere copyists — that the information they convey is uncon- 

 nected and often contradictory, and so generally unsatisfac- 

 tory in its character, that a state of total ignorance is pre- 

 ferable to such imperfect knowledge. 



All modern naturalists have spoken of the animal, com- 

 monly called the Green Monkey, and to which Buffon has 

 given the name of Callitrix. As it is found in the Cape de 

 Verd islands, and the neighbouring part of Africa, it is one 

 of a species most frequently imported into Europe. Notwith- 

 standing this, it is curious to remark that we are in posses- 

 sion but of three figures of this animal, taken from living 

 individuals. That of Edwards, of Buffon, and of Marechale, 

 in the (i Menagerie du Museum d'Histoire Naturelle," 

 which is considered by F. Cuvier to be the best. 



The colour of the Callitrix on the upper parts of the 

 body are of a greenish yellow (whence its common name), 

 and results from a combination of yellow and black rings on 

 the hairs, in which the yellow predominates. The external 

 facing of the limbs is more grayish, the yellow of the hair 

 having partly disappeared. The upper portion of the tail 

 is like that of the body, but it is terminated by a long pencil 

 of yellow hairs. The lower parts of the body, internal 

 facings of the limbs, #c, are grayish. The face, ears, and 

 skin of the hands are black. Compared with the Malbrouc 

 and some others of this subgenus, the muzzle of the Calli- 

 trix is more elongated, but we observe no corresponding 

 modification of intellect to result from this difference. 



In our menageries these monkeys generally display a con- 

 siderable portion of malice and intelligence. Adanson is 

 the only traveller who reports any thing of them in their 

 natural state. He found them in immense numbers in Se- 

 negal. They remain on the trees in large troops, and pre- 



