THE KINKAJOU. 



21 



settling himself for a good frolic. What he 

 wished to accomplish I never found out, for no 

 one could long endure the rough treatment. If 

 I succeeded in keeping him off my shoulder, he 

 would establish himself on my arm, which he 

 clasped with all four limbs, and held on for dear 

 life, while he licked or playfully bit my hand 

 or wrist. To shake him off was utterly impossi- 

 ble ; he had a wonderful grip, and the more one 

 shook, the closer he held. 



As the weather grew warm, this little fur 

 boa was not so comfortable around the neck ; 

 neither did I enjoy the warm little body glued 

 to my arm ; but it was impossible to get relief. 

 If I put him down, or upon some one else for a 

 rest, he would climb about and amuse himself 

 till I made some movement or spoke, when in- 

 stantly his quaint little face turned, he aban- 

 doned all else and ran for me. When I made 

 violent effort to drive him away, pushing or 

 in any way exciting him, he never was scared 

 away ; the more he was alarmed, the more fran- 

 tically he would run for me, clamber up my 

 chair, and mount to my shoulder as though that 

 were his haven of refuge. The more I disturbed 

 and pushed and tried to shake him off, the 

 tighter he clung, and the more persistently he 

 returned. Sometimes, when particularly affec- 

 tionate, he threw all four arms (or legs) around 



