THE MONKEY FAMILY. 



13 



nor by fight. In the trees alone, I am safe : — 

 whilst you, Mr. ant-bear, would be awkwardness 

 itself in a tree, and would soon wish yourself down 

 again." 



Here the conversation ended ; — and from it we 

 may infer, that the information acquired by the 

 " eccentric writer " in the heart of the forest, is 

 more to be depended upon, than that of the scien 

 tific compiler, who draws up the history of monkeys 

 in his own ornamented study. 



I can well imagine, that, an attempt on my 

 part, to place in a new light, the hitherto accepted 

 habits of the monkey family, carries with it an 

 appearance of presumption, bordering perhaps, on 

 self-sufficiency. 



How is it likely, sages will remark, that we can 

 possibly be in ignorance of the true economy of 

 an animal, known and described before the days 

 of our redemption ? Is then the knowledge of 

 Linnaeus,— the industry of BufFon, — the researches 

 of Dampier, and the opinions of gone-by writers 

 to be thrown into the back-ground, by one, of 

 little notice in the walks of science ? To say 

 nothing of our modern adepts in zoology, whose 

 herculean labours have enkindled such a galaxy 

 of light in every department of natural history ; 

 and have shown to the world, what study,— what 



