529 



die before they can accustom themselves to a 

 domestic state. The titis are in general delicate 

 and timid little animals. It is very difficult to 

 convey them from the missions of the Oroonoko 

 to the coast of Caraccas, or of Cumana. They 

 become melancholy and dejected in proportion 

 as they quit the region of the forests, and enter 

 the Llanos. This change cannot be attributed 

 to a slight increase of the temperature ; it seems 

 rather to depend on a greater intensity of light, 

 a less degree of humidity, and some chemical 

 property of the air of the coast. 



The saimiris, or titis of the Oroonoko, the 

 ateles, the sajous, and other quadrimanous ani- 

 mals long known in Europe, form a striking 

 contrast both in their gait and habits with the 

 macavahu*, called by the missionaries viudita, 

 or widow in mourning. The hair of this little 

 animal is soft, glossy, and of a fine black. It's 

 face is covered with a mask of a square form 

 and a whitish colour tinged with blue. This 

 mask contains the eyes, nose, and mouth. The 

 ears have a rim : they are small, very pretty, and 

 almost bare. The neck of the widow presents in 

 front a white band, an inch broad, and forming 

 a semicircle. The feet, or rather the hinder 

 hands, are black like the rest of the body ; but 



* The Maravitan name of the simia lugens. See my 

 Observ. de Zoologie, vol. i, p. 319. 

 VOL. IV. 2 M 



