268 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



aware of his intention. He then precipitates himself upon 

 him, wounds him with his teeth or nails, shoots away ra- 

 pidly from within his reach, without however losing sight 

 of him, and that as well for the purpose of seizing a fa- 

 vourable opportunity of renewing the attack, as to shelter 

 himself from the vengeance of the adversary. This extreme 

 irritability prevents the Malbrouc from ever being com- 

 pletely tamed, or brought to submit with patience to re- 

 straint. He is susceptible of no other education than that 

 of nature. The moment he is treated with violence, the 

 moment it is endeavoured to compel him to obedience, his 

 petulance is at an end ; he becomes melancholy and silent, 

 and speedily expires. 



These animals possess extraordinary dexterity in the use 

 of their hands : these are the organs which they employ on 

 almost all occasions : with them they carry their food to 

 their mouth : they are equally the instruments of their 

 sportive humour, and the weapons of combat. Notwith- 

 standing the shortness of their thumb, they can seize be- 

 tween it and the fore-finger the minutest objects with the 

 most wonderful facility. In eating fruits or roots they 

 always pull them with their teeth, and smell every article 

 of food which is presented to them. They drink constantly 

 by suction. Their senses are extremely good, without being 

 remarkably delicate, and they evidently make the principal 

 use of that of sight. Of the reproduction of the species 

 nothing is known : few of the Guenons reproduce in these 

 climates. 



If elegance of form, grace of motion, gentleness of dispo- 

 sition, superior sagacity, and penetration, of physiognomy, 

 presented characters to the naturalist proper for the pur- 

 poses of classification, the Mona, or varied monkey, would, 

 incontestably, serve as a type for a peculiar division. It 

 is strikingly distinguished from the other Guenons in 



