OEDEE OP QUADSUMANA. 579 



had been placed in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris, they are more 

 gentle and familiar. 



The Mangabeys inhabit the interior of Africa. Up to the 

 present time only three species have been found. 



Tribe of Guenons. — The Gruenons are slender Monkeys, which 

 have the cranium depressed, and show no forehead — at least at 

 an adult period of life ; they have large paws, marked callosities, 

 long, sharp canine teeth, well-formed extremities for prehension, 

 a long elevated tail like the Mangabeys, and a thick and more or 

 less speckled coat. Naturalists usually designate them by the 

 name of Cercopitheci, which means Tailed Monkeys (kepkos, tail, 

 TridrjKo's, Monkey). The genus Guenon comprises about thirty 

 species. 



These animals live in troops in the forests ; they are constantly 

 moving about from tree to tree, and with an extraordinary facility 

 execute the most wonderful capers. In each troop there is a sentry 

 entrusted to watch over the general safety. On the appearance 

 of an enemy, this vidette gives a particular cry, and all the 

 band, collecting in the highest places they can find, at once pre- 

 pare to repel the intruder.' Fruits and branches are then hurled 

 down at the aggressor, who, disarmed and helpless against this 

 aerial horde, is soon compelled to take to flight. The negroes 

 find these kinds of skirmishes but little to their taste, and, there- 

 fore, rarely trust themselves in those parts of the forests where the 

 Guenons have established their domicile. The largest quadrupeds, 

 not even excepting the Elephant, are not exempted from these 

 attacks, and find it advisable to evade by flight the disagreeable, 

 if not dangerous, consequences of such conflicts. There are only 

 two beings capable of contending successfully with them : these 

 are Man, with his bow or firearm, and ihe Serpent, which creeps 

 in the darkness, to the highest branches of the trees, and in this 

 way contrives to circumvent and seize these dwellers of the 

 forests. 



The food of the Cercopitheci is varied : they chiefly live on 

 roots, leaves, and fruits. They also eat the eggs of birds, insects, 

 sometimes even molluscs, and they are particularly partial to 

 honey. They devastate gardens ajid plantations, and appear 

 impelled to commit these acts of brigandage as much from 



p p 2 



