THE MARMOZETTES. 49 



out of my hand. When it saw my hand sweep over a doomed fly, the bright eyes sparkled 

 with eager anticipation ; and when I approached the cage, the little creature thrust its paw 

 through the bars as far as the wires would permit, and opened and closed the tiny fingers with 

 restless impatience. It then insinuated its hand among my closed fingers, and never failed to 

 find and to capture the imprisoned fly. 



" When properly tamed, the Marmoset will come and sit on its owner's hand, its little paws 

 clinging tightly to his fingers, and its tail coiled over his hand or wrist. Or it will clamber up 

 his arm and sit on his shoulder ; or, if chilly, hide itself beneath his coat, or even creep into a 

 convenient pocket. 



" The Marmoset has a strange liking for hair, and is fond of playing with the locks of its 

 owner. One of the little creatures, which was the property of a gentleman adorned with a 

 large bushy beard, was wont to creep to its master's face, and to nestle among the thick 

 masses of hair that covered his chin. Another Marmoset, which belonged to a lady, and was 

 liable to the little petulances of its race, used to vent its anger by nibbling the ends of her 

 ringlets. If the hair were bound round her head, the curious little animal would draw a tress 

 do-wn, and bite its extremity, as if it were trying to eat the hair by degrees. The same indi- 

 vidual was possessed of an accomplishment almost unknown among these little monkeys ; 

 namely, standing on its head. 



" Generally, the Marmoset preserves silence ; but if alarmed or irritated, it gives vent to a 

 little sharp whistle, from which it has gained its name of Ouistiti. It is sufficiently active when 

 in the enjoyment of good health, climbing and leaping about from bar to bar with an agile 

 quickness that reminds the observer of a squirrel. 



" Its food is both animal and vegetable in character ; the animal portion being composed 

 of various insects, and, it may be, an occasional young bird ; and the vegetable diet ranging 

 through most of the edible fruits. A tame Marmoset has been known to pounce upon a living 

 gold fish and to eat it 



« The length of the full-grown Marmoset is from seven to eight inches, exclusive of the tail, 

 which measures about a ioot."— {Wood's Illustrated Natural History.) 



To the pair of these interesting animals that "sat" for their portraits to Landseer 

 he has given an expression almost human. Seated on a magnificent pine-apple, they 

 are intently watching a wasp which has settled near them, as if meditating its seizure. 

 Scattered about them are some nuts— the remains probably, of a feast. The picture is 

 small, but every portion is painted with the greatest care and nicety. 



In 1859 Landseer sent four pictures to the Academy. One was called " Doubtful 

 Crumbs : " a large mastiff, having picked a huge beef-bone perfectly clean, has fallen 

 asleep, but still keeps one paw on the bone to guard it from being carried off, though 

 it is scarcely " doubtful " as to the quantity of " crumbs " it is likely to yield to any dog 

 bold enough to attempt its capture. A hungry black puppy standing by looks wistfully 

 at the bare remnant of a feast, with a grotesque expression of interest,— 



"Letting I dare not wait upon I would," 

 for the animal is afraid to touch it. This puppy, with its tongue eagerly protruding, 



