THE MARMOSET. 



71 



turned his head over on one side in a sentimental 

 attitude, though his feelings were far from sen- 

 timental, and began a low chattering, in a sweet 

 birdlike tone, which rapidly became louder, hav- 

 ing notes higher and lower, longer and shorter, 

 and passages trilled and slurred, with mouth 

 sometimes contracted to a small round opening. 

 It was a truly musical performance, surprising 

 indeed from an animal. 



During the delivery of this song — as I must 

 call it — he turned his head from side to side, in 

 the manner of a professional singer, and lastly 

 gave a bewitching close to the whole, by a whim- 

 sical little jerk of head and body, first one 

 side, then the other, as if trying to " show off." 

 Sometimes this jerking movement went so far as 

 to become " weaving," throwing his whole body 

 on one side and bringing his hands to the mantel, 

 then doing the same on the other side. This 

 he kept up for several minutes, his venerable 

 looking face, with its eager expression and large 

 dark eyes, swinging through an arc of perhaps 

 six inches each time. Now and then he de- 

 livered this tirade to a mischievous youth in the 

 family, who was prone to trifle with his dignity, 

 by seizing his temptingly long tail, or peeping 

 under the cover after he was curled up for a nap. 

 The mere glance of this tormentor he hotly 

 resented. In fact he much disliked to have any 



