64 



THE APES AND MONKEYS. 



When angered they utter a few whistling sounds. 

 Everything unfamiliar excites them strongly. They 

 are so timid that the sight of a flying Wasp throws 

 them into great excitement When adult animals are 



received. 



Pallas' Description 



of the Common 



Marmoset. 





COMMON MABMOSETS. These gentle little creatures belong to 



the same family shown in the preceding illustration, and are found in the 

 tropical forests of Brazil. Their movements are so swift that it is diffi- 

 cult for the human eye to follow them as they travel through the branches of 

 their native trees. Their size is about that of the common gray Squirrel. 



made captive, they scream at the approach of every 

 one, and it is a long time before they allow any one 

 to touch them. Having been once tamed they soon 

 become good friends with people 

 and with other domestic animals, 

 especially Cats, with which they . 

 like to play and to sleep, the lat- 

 ter probably because of the 

 warmth afforded. They are for- 

 ever protecting themselves against 

 the cold, carrying all the cotton 

 and rags they can get hold of to a 

 corner of their cage, and covering 

 themselves with it. A pretty sight 

 is afforded when the little animal, 

 lying on its bed, is approached by 

 the keeper, bearing some sweet 

 morsel, for which it extends its 

 dainty head forward. 



It has frequently happened that 

 Ouistitis have been born in cap- 

 tivity, in Europe [as well as in the 

 United States ],and once, even in 

 St. Petersburg though under very 

 unfavorable conditions. The ani- 

 mals were kept in unheated rooms, 

 even on cool days in Spring and Autumn, and were 

 given no liberty at all, still they gave birth to young 



ones three times in two years and succeeded in rear- 

 ing them, notwithstanding the small amount of care 



they - - 



We are indebted for their history 

 to the naturalist Pallas, who says : 

 "The Ouistiti, like all the other 

 little, long-tailed American Monkeys, is_ much less 

 Monkey than those belonging to families whose 

 members attain larger size. It is quick and agile, 

 but when in a state of contentment it may sit in the 

 sun for hours without moving. It can climb with 

 dexterity, but does so with a peculiar phlegmatic 

 pomposity. Sometimes it hangs from a bough by 

 its fore-paws, and stretches itself, like a sleepy 

 human being. Ouistitis like to remain in the warm 

 sunshine searching each other's fur for vermin, 

 Monkey-fashion, purring and cooing the while. 

 With a similar cooing sound they retire on the 

 stroke of six and are not seen nor heard again till 

 six or seven the next morning. They are active and 

 rather noisy in the day-time. Besides these cooing 

 intonations they sometimes utter the combination of 

 sharp whistling sounds represented by their name, 

 " Ouistiti," quite distinctly, especially when food is 

 in sight. 



Many Types Besides the Ouistiti, naturalists have 

 of the found over thirty distinct species of 



Marmosets. Marmosets, differing greatly in size, 

 color and general appearance, but all having the 

 physical characteristics of the genus Hapale. Among 

 them is the Hapale penicilata which is about the same 

 size and nearly as common as the Ouistiti. 



The Pinche (^Hapale oediptcs), belonging to the" 

 Tamarins, bears captivity still less than the Common 

 Marmosets. These small, pretty animals are remark- 

 able for their voices, which might be mistaken for a 

 bird's, when the Monkey utters its long, flute-like 

 notes. 



The Golden Marmoset {Hapale chrysoleucus) is also 

 a small animal, taking its name from its bright yel- 

 low fur. The other families of the genus Hapale 

 are all small creatures with the same general char- 

 acteristics as those we have described, differing 

 somewhat in the color and distribution of their furs 



FINCHE UOBMOSET. Distinguished for its large white tuft, which falls gracefully over and 



behind the ears. The throat, chest, abdomen and arms are also white, the rest of the body being a gray- 

 ish brown. The voice of the Pinche is very soit and sweet, varying with the different moods of the 

 animal. It is a most delicate creature and does not live long in captivity. Its home is in the tropical 

 regions of South America. {Hapale cedipus). 



and only designated by their scientific names, which 

 rest only on slight variations. 



