THE WANDEROW, OR OUANDOROU MONKEY, ETC. 99 



THE WANDEROW, or OUANDOROU MONKEY.— THE COIATA, FOUR- 

 FINGERED or SPIDER MONKEY. 



IN THE COLLECTION OF MR. CROSS, ROYAL MEWS, CHARING CROSS. 



The different species of monkeys are included in the first order of Primates, the principal characteristic 

 of which is an erect posture, and in some other particulars resembling the human race. They have 

 usually four cutting teeth in the fore part of each jaw, and in the upper jaw these are parallel. They 

 have one canine tooth on each side of these in each jaw. They have also two breasts or teats, from 

 which this class cf mammalia derives its name. The two fore-feet in many of the individuals resemble 

 the hands of the human species, and are employed for the same purposes, having fingers, furnished for 

 the most part with oval flattened nails. They live chiefly on vegetable food. 



The Wanderow, or Ouandorou of Buffon, belongs to the class of the makis, and is distinguished by 

 a blunt and elongated muzzle; it must, however, be stated, that the characters of the makis are rather 

 comparative than essential, the principal of which are four incisors in each jaw, two canines rather 

 strong, five tuberculous molares above and below, callosities at the hips, as have the greater part of 

 the monkies of the ancient continent ; the muzzle moderately large and long, the facial angle being 

 about 40 or 50 degrees ; the nostrils approximate, in an oblique direction with the upper part of the 

 muzzle ; flat ears, naked, far apart, and pointed at the outer extremity : the comparative shortness of 

 the tail, which rarely exceeds a third of the length of the body, and which, in some species, is nearly 

 reduced to the stumpiness of a pigtail, and in one or two others is nothing more than a tubercle. The 

 body of the Wanderow is a deep black throughout on the back, as well as the thighs and legs, and 

 under the belly it has a greyish cast. The front is covered like its body with black hair, and its face 

 is surrounded with a long beard or mane, which descends on each side of the face in the form of a ruff, 

 extending downwards over the chest, and varying from an ash-grey to a pure white. The tail is black, 

 and terminated by a tuft of long hairs, similar to tne lion, which circumstance induced Pennant 

 to give the animal the appellation of the lion-tailed monkey. The colour of the Wanderow is, how- 

 ever, by no means fixed, for, according to the report of several travellers, it appears that, independently 

 of the black or grey Wanderow, there are some of a greyish-white, with a white beard, and others 

 which are wholly white. 



The name of Ouandorou is given in Ceylon, not only to the present species, but also to the purple- 

 faced ape, and according to Virey it is applied principally to the monkies of a vicious disposition, who 

 commit numerous outrages on women, and sometimes finish by strangling them. It is even said, in 

 the historical description of the kingdom of Macassar, that the natives of that country, who are 

 exceedingly jealous of their wives, do not hesitate to give a sound thrashing with a cane to these 

 monkey gallants, who evince a disposition to caress their wives. In other respects, these animals are 

 ■very active, but they are difficult to tame, for they appear to be particularly fond of their independence. 

 They grow to the size of about three feet and a half, but their constitution is not well adapted to the 

 privations and length of a voyage by sea. 



The Jesuit Vincent Maria, speaking of the Wanderow, says, "the Indians pretend that the other 

 apes and monkies shew particular respect to the Wanderows, because they have more sense than they 

 have. They bow before them, like slaves before a great lord. The princes and the nobles hold them 

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