Monkeys.] 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



43 



182, 183. — The Couxio, or Jacketed Monkey 



(Pithecia Sagulata, Traill, in ' Mem. Wern. Soc.,' 

 iii.). The confusion in which this species has been 

 involved is very remarkable. The following are its 

 synonyms :— Cebus Sagulatus, Fisch.; Cebus Sata- 

 nas, Hoffmans ; Pithecia Satanas, Kuhl andGeoffr. ; 

 Simia Chiropotes, Humboldt ; Pithecia Chiropotes, 

 Geoffr., Kuhl, Desm. ; Brachyurus ISraelita, Spix. 



Head, limbs, and tail black,— the general tint of 

 the back and top of the. shoulders is grizzled rusty- 

 brown or brownish-grey, differing in depth in differ- 

 ent individuals. The hairs of the body are pale at 

 the roots, sometimes indeed nearly white. The under 

 parts are scantily clad. The hair of the head radiates 

 from a point on the occiput, and on the sides of the 

 forehead forms two conspicuous elevated tufts, with 

 a depression between them. These tufts fold over 

 and conceal the ears, which are black and naked. 

 The face is black and furnished at its sides with 

 full bushy whiskers which meet under the chin, 

 forming an enormous glossy-black beard, directed 

 obliquely forwards, and which gives a peculiar 

 aspect to the physiognomy. The teeth are large, — 

 the canines formidable. The head is large and 

 rounded, and the nostrils very widely separated from 

 each other. On the outer side of the fore-arms the 

 hairs are reverted. Native country, Guiana and the 

 borders of Rio Negro, &c. Of the four distinct 

 specific appellations (viz. Sagulata, Satanas, Chiro- 

 potes, and israelita), which we regard as belonging 

 all to one animal, that of Sagulata claims the pre- 

 ference, being the name under which the species 

 was first described by Traill. Baron Humboldt, who 

 erroneously regards the Satanas of Hoffmansegg 

 (which he calls Couxio de Grand Para) and his 

 Chiropotes (which he terms Capucinde 1'Orenoque) 

 as distinct, thus describes the latter (a description 

 applicable to each variety, under whatever name it 

 may stand in the works of naturalists): — The Capucin 

 de rOrcnoque (Couxio, P. Sagulata) is robust, agile, 

 wild, and very difficult to tame. When irritated, 

 it raises itself up, grinds its teeth, rubs the extre- 

 mity of its beard, and leaps around the object of its 

 revenge. In these accessions of fury, Humboldt 

 says that he has seen it drive its teeth into thick 

 boards of the Cedrela Odorata. It drinks but rarely, 

 and takes the water in the hollow of its hand, which 

 it carries carefully to the mouth, so as avoid wet- 

 ting its beard. If aware that it is observed, it does 

 not perform this singular action. Sir Rt. Ker 

 Porter (see 'Proc. Zoof. Soc' London, 1834, p. 41), 

 in a description of the P. Sagulata, distinctly states 

 that the animal drinks frequently, bending down and 

 putting its mouth to the water, apparently heedless 

 of wetting its beard, and indifferent to the observa- 

 tion of lookers-on. He never saw it take the water 

 in the hollow of the hand, as described by Hum- 

 boldt. Yet that it was observed by the latter we 

 cannot doubt ; in our menageries, however, it drinks 

 in the ordinary way of other monkeys. According 

 to Humboldt, the Capucin de fOrcnoque does not 

 associate in troops ; a male and female in company 

 wander by themselves through the forests, where 

 their cry may be heard. In the vast wilds of the 

 Upper Orinoco, south and east of the cataracts, this 

 monkey is common, and the Aturian Indians, as well 

 as those of Esmeralda, eat many of these animals at 

 certain seasons of the year. In other parts of Guiana 

 it seems to be much more rare. 



The individuals which we have seen in captivity 

 have all displayed a morose and savage temper : 

 on the slightest provocation they would menace 

 the offender with their teeth, wrinkling up the skin 

 of their face and displaying their immense canines, 

 their eyes at the same time gleaming with fury. 

 Towards other monkeys they were reserved, and dis- 

 liked to be intruded upon. 



184. — The Yarke, or White-headed Saki 



(Pithecia leucocephala). The male and female of 

 this species differ so much that it is not surprising 

 that they should have been described as distinct 

 species. The synonyms are as follows : — Male — 

 P. leucocephala, Geoffr., Desm.; Saki, Buffon; 

 Yarque, Buff., ' Supp.' ; Yarke, F. Guv, ; P. ochroce- 

 phala, Kuhl. Female— P. rufivent.er, Geoffr., Desm., 

 Kuhl, &c. ; P. rufibarbata, Kuhl. ; P. capillamen- 

 tosa, Spix ; S. Pithecia, Linn. ; Singe de nuit, Buff. ; 

 Fox-tailed Monkey, Pennant. 



Male.-— The whole of the anterior part of the head 

 covered with short close hairs of a white or rusty- 

 white tint varying in depth ; occiput jet-black, 

 whence a narrow line is continued over the head to 

 the nose ; fur of the body and tail very long, rather 

 harsh ; and of a brown colour, more or less inclined 

 to black ; under part of chin and throat naked and 

 of an orange tint; abdomen also nearly naked; tail 

 bushy ; on the shoulders the long flowing hair has 

 a tendency to divide. 



Female. — The hairs of the head, excepting on the 

 anterior part of the forehead, instead of being short, 

 close, and stiff are long, like those of the body, and 



radiate forwards and laterally. Between the eyes 

 is a patch -of short pale hairs. The fur of the body 

 is long, of a dark or blackish brown tint, freckled 

 paler, the hairs being annulated once or twice at 

 the top with pale rusty-brown. In the male there 

 is no annulation of the hairs. The scanty hairs of 

 under parts are pale rusty-red. The long radiating 

 hair of the head is of the same colour as that of the 

 rest in the upper parts. In Fig. 184, which is that 

 of the female, it is represented too pale. Till re- 

 cently, the female of the present Saki has been re- 

 garded by naturalists as a distinct species. The de- 

 termination of its identity with the Yarke is due to 

 M. Schomburgk, whose opportunities of observing 

 this monkey in its native regions of Guiana have 

 been very abundant, and who a few years since 

 transmitted specimens of both sexes to the Zoologi- 

 cal Society, London, More recently he brought 

 other specimens to England. His testimony on the 

 point is clear and decisive. 



Buffon, who figures a young male, which he 

 terms Saki, describes the hair of the head as radiat- 

 ing, and of a whitish tint ; whence we may suppose 

 that till approaching maturity the males resemble 

 the females in their •' chevelure mal rangee," as he 

 calls it, excepting as regards its colour. 



The Yarke appears to live in small troops, which 

 tenant the bushes rather than the trees of the forest, 

 living, according to M. de la Borde, upon the fruit 

 of the guava, and also upon bees, demolishing their 

 combs : they also eat all kinds of grain. The fe- 

 male produces only a single offspring at a birth, 

 which she carries on her back. 



Genus Callithrix. — Head short and rounded: 

 muzzle short ; ears large ; general form slender ; 

 tail equalling or exceeding the length of the body ; 

 not prehensile ; nails, excepting on hind thumbs, 

 long and narrow. Fur soft and delicate ; canines 

 moderate ; lower incisors vertical and contiguous to 

 the canines. Ears large, and more or less tri- 

 angular. 



The animals of this genus are light, active, and 

 graceful, but so extremely delicate, that they do 

 not endure removal from their own country without 

 the greatest care. With the exception Of the Sai- 

 miri we have seen no living example. These little 

 monkeys are termed Sagoins by the French : in 

 their native regions they inhabit the depths of the 

 forests, and are diurnal in their habits ; most are 

 gregarious; fruits, insects, eggs, and birds constitute 

 their food, and though habitually gentle and timid, 

 they become animated even to ferocity at the sight 

 of living prey. The ordinary voice of these monkeys 

 is a short reiterated note, which when they are hurt 

 or alarmed is changed to a shrill cry. 



185. — The Saimiki, or Squirrel Monkey 

 (Callithrix sciureus, Desm.). Titi de 1'Orenoque, 

 Humboldt. General colour, greyish-olive ; the face 

 white, the lips and chin black ; the limbs tinged with 

 fine rufous or gold colour ; the tail black at its tip ; 

 ears large and white ; palms flesh-coloured ; eyes 

 large and hazel, with a pink circle round the iris ; 

 under parts of body greyish-white. Length of head 

 and Dody \2$ inches ; of tail 17 inches. Native 

 country, Brazil, Cayenne, Guiana. 



This slender and elegant little monkey is widely 

 spread : it is one of the earliest of the American 

 species with which naturalists became acquainted ; 

 and is most probably the Sapajou de Cayenne of 

 Froger. (.See ' Relat. du Voy. de Gennes,' 1698.) 

 Its intelligence, its beauty, and sportiveness, render 

 it a favourite in its own country, where it is domes- 

 ticated in preference to most others of its race. It 

 is frequently imported into Europe, but our climate 

 is very uncongenial. Though the tail of the Sai'- 

 miri has no truly prehensile power, it is used as a 

 sort of boa, for protection against cold ; and when 

 numbers crowd-, huddled together, as they are often 

 seen to do in the woods, they bring it between the 

 hind legs, and twine it over the shoulders and round 

 the neck, interlocking their arms and legs for the 

 sake of warmth. This use of the tail we have ob- 

 served in specimens in captivity. 



Highly sensitive and susceptible, the SaYmiri dis- 

 plays its feelings by the expression of its counte- 

 nance ; in which pleasure, surprise, and fear, as they 

 are experienced, are strongly depicted. 



Insects, and especially spiders, are eagerly sought 

 for and devoured by this monkey : and, as Hum- 

 boldt states, it gives no little trouble to entomologi- 

 cal travellers, who may be tempted to keep it do- 

 mesticated. If it can obtain access to their store- 

 boxes, it will devour every specimen, taking each 

 from the pin without injury to its own fingers. 



In their dense and humid forests troops of these 

 monkeys may be seen traversing the branches in 

 single file, the females carrying their young on 

 their backs. The foremost leads and regulates the 

 movements of the rest, and as he leaps from branch 

 to branch with admirable grace and precision, all 

 follow in succession. They ascend the " nebees," 

 or natural ropes of creeping plants which intertwine 



among the trees, with great rapidity. Towards sun- 

 set they ascend to the very tops of the palm-trees, 

 and there sleep in security. Accustomed to dense 

 and humid forests, under a sky often covered with 

 clouds, the Sa'imiri endures with difficulty the dry 

 and burning atmosphere of the coasts of Guiana or 

 the adjacent districts ; and it becomes melancholy 

 and dejected in proportion as it quits the region of 

 the forests and enters the Llanos. In captivity in 

 our climate, though depressed by its influence, 

 the Sa'imiri is very engaging. It has a habit of gazing 

 intently on the faces of those who notice it, a pecu- 

 liarity alluded to by Humboldt, who says that it will 

 attentively watch the motion of a person's lips in 

 speaking, and that if it can climb on his shoulder, it 

 will touch his teeth or tongue with its fingers. 



The usual voice of this species is a low and 

 quickly repeated whistle : but when hurt or incom- 

 moded by wet, rain, or other cause of annoyance, 

 it utters a plaintive cry. 



Genus Nocthora. — Head large ; muzzle short ; eyes 

 large and nocturnal ; nostrils separated by a mode- 

 rate septum. Ears moderate, with an acute folded 

 apex, the free portion being circumscribed. Nails 

 long, narrow, and channelled ; fingers of fore-hands 

 (Fig. 1S6) not extensible to the full. Tail long, 

 non-prehensile. 



Humboldt proposed the term Aotus for this 

 genus, vrihch, by right of priority, should be retained ; 

 it is rejected, however, because its meaning (earless) 

 involves an error. 



This genus has been regarded by many naturalists 

 as a transition form between the American monkeys 

 and the Lemurs. It is true that, as far as general 

 aspect and nocturnal habits are concerned, the re- 

 semblance between the Douroucouli and Lemurs 

 is apparent; still, however, the relationship (setting 

 aside that common to all the Quadrumana) is one 

 of analogy, not affinity ; for the Douroucouli in its 

 dentition is more remote from the Lemurs than is 

 the genus Pithecia, and in this point it agrees with 

 Callithrix. 



187. — The Doukoucouli 

 (Nocthora trivirgata, F. Cuv.). Pithecia miriquo- 

 uina, Geoffr. ; Callithrix infulatus, Lichtenst.: Nyc- 

 tipithecus felmus, and vociferens, Spix. — Head 

 round ; muzzle short ; eyes large, with circular 

 pupils. General colour greyish-brown above, pale 

 rufous below ; a whitish triangular mark over each 

 eye, bounded by an intervening mark of black as- 

 cending from the root of the nose, and another run- 

 ning from the angle of the mouth, passing the outer 

 angle of the eye. Tail black at the apex. General 

 form slender; palms flesh-coloured; face dusky; 

 nails black. Length of head and body 13 inches ; of 

 the tail 18 inches. Native country, Guiana, Brazil. 



According to Humboldt, the Douroucouli inhabits 

 the dense forests of the Cassiquiare and Esmeralda, 

 at the foot of Mount Duida, and the environs of the 

 cataracts of Maypures, between the 2nd and 5th 

 degrees of N. lat., 300 leagues from the coast of 

 French Guiana. According to Spix it is found near 

 Para, and in the forests of Tabatinga, on the confines 

 of Brazil and Peru. 



The Douroucouli is nocturnal in its habits, and 

 sleeps during the day. It is greatly incommoded 

 by light, and seeks the holes of trees or similar 

 places for concealment. When roused it is dull 

 and oppressed, and can scarcely open its large white 

 eyelids. Its attitude during repose is crouching. 

 On the approach of dusk, all the lethargy of the 

 Douroucouli leaves, it, and it becomes restless and 

 impetuous, and roams about in quest of insects and 

 small birds. In addition to these, various fruits, seeds, 

 and vegetables constitute its food; but the quantity 

 of solid aliment it consumes is comparatively little : it 

 drinks even less, and but seldom. It glides cat-like 

 through apertures so narrow as to appear incapable 

 of admitting it, and its actions resemble those of 

 vivirine animals. Its beautiful glossy fur is in great 

 request, the natives make tobacco-pouches and 

 other articles of it, which they sell. A male and 

 female are often taken together in the same hole 

 asleep ; for the Douroucouli lives not in troops, but 

 in pairs, and is strictly monogamous. The nocturnal 

 cry of this animal is extremely loud and sonorous, 

 and resembles that of the Jaguar : besides this, it 

 utters a mewing noise like that of a cat, and also 

 a deep, harsh, gutteral note, represented by the 

 syllables quer, quer. When irritated, its throat 

 becomes distended ; and in the posture then assumed, 

 and in the puffed state of the fur, it resembles a cat 

 attacked by a dog. 



In 1833 a young male lived for a short time in 

 the menagerie of the Zool. Soc, London. Its aspect 

 and movements were verylemurine ; its large eyes, 

 which it opened when the dusk of evening came 

 on, were brilliant, and gave an animated expression 

 to its countenance not exhibited during the day, 

 when it rested crouching on its perch, lethargic and 

 motionless. It lived chieiiy upon bread sopped in 

 milk, refusing meat, either dressed or raw. 



