552 MAMMALIA. 



" Audouin," writes Isidore Geoffroy Saint- Hilaire, " has assured 

 himself, by experiments several times repeated, that these Monkeys 

 were well able to recognise in a picture, not only their own like- 

 ness, but that of another animal. Thus, the drawing of a Cat, and, 

 what is yet still more remarkable, that of a Wasp, caused them 

 manifest dread ; while at the sight of any other insect, such as a 

 Grasshopper or a May-bug, they threw themselves on the picture 

 as if to seize the object represented. 



" Audouin has also remarked that the Ouistitis were very 

 curious ; that they had acute vision ; that they perfectly recognised 

 the people who looked after them ; and, lastly, that their cries 

 varied considerably, according to the passions that animated 

 them." 



A gentleman who resided in Brazil for several years always 

 possessed during his sojurn there several Marmosets ; from his 

 experience, he states that they very soon became tame, and much 

 attached to those who showed them attention, preferring to sleep 

 in his pockets or sleeve to retiring to their nest. " Their graceful 

 tricks were always amusing, as they never were mischievous. 

 With my Cats and Parrots they were on terms of the greatest 

 intimacy, sharing, of their own accord, their food with the latter. 

 They soon learned to drink wine, and, after a short experience, 

 exhibited so marked a liking for the juice of the grape, that, if 

 permitted, they would indulge till perfectly intoxicated. Nothing 

 alarmed them so much as the appearance of a Snake, and several 

 times, for the sake of experiment, I had one brought into my 

 residence to observe the effect. On seeing their enemy, instan- 

 taneously they became powerless, and the woe-begone expression 

 of their countenance for the time being was the perfect personifi- 

 cation of utter helplessness, and even after the object of their 

 dread had been removed, it required the lapse of many hours 

 before they recovered their vivacity." 



At present, about thirty species of Ouistitis are known, and 

 these are divided into two genera, founded on a specious distinc- 

 tion — the Ouistitis, or Midas, and the Tamarins. We will enu- 

 merate the principal species of Ouistitis, merely remarking that 

 some among them, which are in almost every respect alike, are 

 probably only simple varieties which ulterior observation may 

 reduce to the common tj'pe. 



