814* CLASS MAMMALIA. 



of a single species to a separate family is objectionable, 

 particularly when the grounds of such separation rest upon 

 personal manners and habits, rather than on physical 

 difference or anatomical variations. A probable presump- 

 tion may be raised by analogy with other animals that there 

 are other species of nocturnal monkeys not yet known to 

 us, but until that presumption be realized it seems enough 

 to treat the Douroucouli merely as a sagoin of singular 

 habits. 



The hair of the body of this animal is gray mixed with 

 white, and has a silvery lustre in the sun ; a brown line 

 passes down the middle of the back. The breast, belly, 

 and inner sides of the limbs are of a yellow orange colour, 

 inclining to brown. The head, especially the forehead, 

 is marked by three black diverging lines, The face, 

 which resembles that of the tiger cat, is covered with 

 blackish hairs. The eyes are of an enormous size when 

 compared with the animal, and are of a bright yellow 

 colour. The nose is black and divided into two equal parts 

 by a white stripe ; two white spots are placed above the 

 eyes. The mouth is surrounded with short white bristly 

 hairs. The interior of the hands is white. The nails are 

 more flat than in the Sagoins in general. The tail is hand- 

 some, bushy, and about half as long again as the body, 

 corresponding in colour with the back, except that the ex- 

 tremity of it is black. There are no external ears, but on 

 opening the hairs two large lateral cavities are seen which 

 are the organs of hearing. The length of the body without 

 the tail is nine inches and half. 



The vermiform shape of the body of this animal, in uni- 

 son with some of its habits, seem to indicate an approxi- 

 mation to the viverrge, particularly the v. caudivolvula of 

 America. Such approximations from one genus to another 

 we shall have frequent occasion to notice. 



The Douroucouli is a nocturnal animal. The Baron 



