THE MARMOSET. 27 
The hair with which this creature is covered is of a bright and lustrous 
chestnut, with a golden sheen playing over its long glossy locks. To the 
touch, the fur of the Marikina is peculiarly smooth and silken ; and from this 
circumstance it is sometimes called the Silky Monkey. 
Both-for the texture and colour of the hair, the name is happily chosen, for 
the tint of the Marikina’s fur is just that of the orange-coloured silk as it is 
wound from the cocoon, while in texture it almost vies with the fine fibres of 
the unwoven silk itself. 
Another name for the same animal is the Lion Monkey, because its little 
face looks out of the mass of hair like a lion from out of his mane. 
The colour of the hair is nearly uniform, but not quite so. On the paws 
it darkens considerably, and it is of a deeper tint on the forehead and the 
upper surface of the limbs than on the remainder of the body. Some speci- 
mens are wholly of a darker hue. In no place is the fur very short ; but on 
the head, and about the shoulders, it is of very great length in proportion to 
the size of the animal. 
The Marikina is rightly careful of its beautiful clothing, and is fastidious to 
a degree about preserving its glossy brightness free from stain. Whether 
when wild, it keeps its own house clean, or whether it has no house at all, 
is not as yet accurately ascertained; but in captivity, it requires that all 
cleansing shall be performed by other hands. This slothfulness is the more 
peculiar, because the creature is so sensitive on the subject, that if it be in 
the least neglected, it loses its pretty gaiety, pines away, and dies. 
It is fond of company, and can seldom be kept alone for any length of time. 
The food of the Marikina is chiefly composed of fruits and insects; but in 
captivity, it will eat biscuit and drink milk. It is a very timid animal, unable 
to fight a foe, but quick in escape and adroit in concealment. Its voice is 
soft and gentle when the animal is pleased, but when it is excited by anger or 
fear, it utters a rather sharp hiss. The dimensions of the Marikina are much 
the same as those of the following animal. 
THE beautiful little creature which is so well known by the name of the 
MARMOSET, or OUISTITI, is a native of Guiana. The fur is long and 
exquisitely soft, diversified with bold stripes of black upon a ground of 
white and reddish yellow. The tail is long and full; its colour is white, 
encircled with numerous rings of a hue so deep that it may almost be called 
-black. A radiating tuft of white hairs springs from each side of the face, 
and contrasts well with the jetty hue of the head. 
On account of the beauty of its fur, and the gentleness of its demeanour 
when rightly treated, it is frequently brought from its native land and forced 
to lead a life of compelled civilization in foreign climes. It is peculiarly 
sensitive to cold, and always likes to have its house well furnished with soft 
and warm bedding, which it piles up in a corner, and under which it delights 
to hide itself. 
The Marmosets do not seem to be possessed of a very large share of 
intelligence, but yet are very engaging little creatures if kindly treated. 
They are very fond of flies and other insects, and will often take a fly from 
the hand of the visitor. One of these animals, with whom I struck up an 
acquaintance, took great pleasure in making me catch flies for its use, and 
taking them daintily 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 capture the imprisoned fly 
Generally, the Marmoset preserves silence; but if alarmed or irritated, it 
