78 ON THE GEOGKAPHY OF AXIMAIiS. 



with but two exceptions, are of a small size; and although 

 of many species, they appear to be few in numerical 

 amount, and are fearful of man. The largest are the 

 puma and the jaguar ; the latter alone being truly for- 

 midable, the rest are principally small tiger-cats of 

 several species, beautifully marked and spotted. The 

 lion, tiger, panther, leopard, hyaena, jackal, and the 

 whole list of ferocious quadrupeds so common in the 

 intertropical regions of the Old World, are here utterly 

 unknown. The tapirs, of which two species are known, 

 are the largest quadrupeds yet met with in South Ame- 

 rica. The sloths, the ant-eaters, and the armadillos are 

 peculiarly Brazilian : the latter are harmless little crea- 

 tures, very tameable, and are frequently kept as pets in the 

 houses. The scale-covered manis represents this group 

 in Africa. The lama, and the other wool-bearing animals 

 of that description, appear more peculiar to the elevated 

 plains on the Andes of Peru and Chili. Travellers 

 mention sniall deer, but the species have not yet been 

 well ascertained. 



(111.) Brazil is celebrated for its monkeys ; of which 

 large troops are frequently met with in the virgin forests, 

 springing from bough to bough with astonishing ce- 

 lerity : from the quickness of their motions, and the 

 thickness of the foliage, the traveller is only able to 

 catch a partial glimpse of them as they cross his path. 

 Towards evening he is astonished by dreadful bowlings, 

 coming from the depths of the forests, and proceeding, 

 as he imagines, from some formidable beasts of prey. 

 These alarming sounds, however, 

 proceed only from the howling 

 monkeys {Mycetes ursinus,fig. 27.)j 

 pecuUar to tropical America, pos- 

 sessing neither size nor ferocity 

 to make them really formidable. 

 The compass of their voice is so 

 astonishingly great, that it may be 

 heard for miles. They live only 

 in the most impenetrable recesses ; 

 where, perched upon the summit of 



