THE AMERICAN MONKEYS— CALLITHRIX. 



59 



The Black- The life of the Black-headed Saki 



Headed Sahi, {Brachyurus melanocephalus) is very lit- 



or Cacajao. tie known, though the many names by 



which it is called would indicate that it is frequently 



GUXIO MONXEY, This remarkable looking animal exhibits a very 



hairy tail and an immense beard. It is extremely careful of the latter and 

 so fearful of wetting it that it dips water up in its hand when it drinks. The 

 Cuxib is chiefly nocturnal in habits and is found in Brazil. When angry it 

 grinds its teeth in a savage manner. {Pithecia satan-as.) 



encountered by the natives. Besides the preceding 

 names, this Monkey is also called Cacajao, Chucuto, 

 Chucuzo, Caruari, Mono-feo or Ugly 

 Monkey, and Mono-Rabon or Short- 

 Tail. The last name has been lately 

 universally adopted; for the Cacajao, 

 with a few other species having short, 

 bushy tails, have been separated from 

 the Pithecia, under the common fam- 

 ily name of Short-tailed Monkeys 

 {^Brachyurus^ . 



This Saki measures from twenty 

 to twenty-seven inches in length, in- 

 cluding the tail. Its thick, shining 

 fur is longer on the shoulders and 

 sides, and scantier on the under part 

 of the body. The short, thin tail has 

 a tuft on its tip. The fingers are 

 exceedingly long and strong. Its 

 color is grayish-yellow on the back 

 and a rusty hue lower down. The 

 hair of the head and fore-arms is 

 shining black. In captivity it is 

 greedy and obtuse, but not fierce. 

 It trembles with fear at sight of a 

 Crocodile or a Snake. This Monkey 

 is a native of the northwest of Bra- 

 zil, but does not seem to be very 

 numerous. But a single living speci- 

 men has ever been brought to Europe 

 [although a number of live Short-tailed Saki Monk 

 eys have been taken to the United States]. 



THE CALLITHRIX. 



Another genus of American Monkeys, called Cal- 

 lithrix, is distinguished by a slim body, on slim 

 limbs, a long, thin tail, a round head with a beard- 

 less face and a short muzzle ; bright eyes and large 

 ears ; and the hands and feet each have five toes or 

 fingers. 



The Callithrices inhabit the quiet forests of South 

 America in small troops, and their presence is easily 

 determined on account of their loud voices, which 

 they are fond of using. In point of strength and 

 loudness of voice they -come next to the Howlers, 

 and they betray themselves to the hunter at a great 

 distance. The tenderness and agreeable flavor of 

 their flesh cause them to be hunted vigorously by 

 the natives. Their disposition is exceedingly gen- 

 tle, and in captivity they become tame and affec- 

 tionate to an extraordinary degree. 



The Widow One of the most attractive members of 



Monkey and this group is the Widow Monkey ( Cal- 



its Beauties. Ufhrix lugens). Its length is about thir- 

 ty-five inches, more than half of this belonging to 

 the tail. According to Alexander von Humboldt, 

 this little animalhas fine, lustrous, black hair, a blu- 

 ish white face, and small and well-formdd ears. The 

 neck shows a white collar, about one, inch in width ; 

 the feet are black ; the hands white on the back and 

 black on the palms. The missionaries have com- 

 pared the white parts to the veil, collar and gloves 

 worn by widows in South America, and this has 

 given the name to the animal. 



THE CHRYSOTHRIX. 



We may consider the Saimaris ( Chrysothrix) as the 

 connecting link between the Monkeys with and 

 those without prehensile tails. They have slender 

 bodies, with long limbs, large heads, high foreheads, 

 short faces, very large eyes standing close together, 

 plain, large ears, and fur consisting of peculiar 

 ringlets. As with the Callithrix, the tail is round and 



THE HAIRY SAKI. Has hair of a speckled gray color, which is very long, hanging over 



the head and half hiding the sad little face. This long hair extends all over the body and out to the 

 end of the tnil. It is a nocturnal animal, timid and retiring, and does not live long after being cap- 

 tured. {Pithecia hirsuta.) 



slender, and they have many peculiarities that are 

 common to the non-prehensile-tailed group. 



