THE MARMOSET. 



11 



moment, while his long tail curled itself up from 

 the tip like a watchspring, and passed in before 

 the body, when he instantly dropped under the 

 cover. Often as we saw the performance, it 

 never ceased to be extremely funny. 



Once inside his bed with his cherished tail, 

 he sat down with this member standing up 

 before him, on edge, like a wheel, thrust his 

 head between his knees beside it, and thus 

 arranged in a compact bundle, almost as round 

 as a ball, he slept, the top of his head on the 

 floor, and his nose buried in his fur. How he 

 could breathe was a problem. Soon after he 

 was in bed we heard the most tender, sweet, 

 and bird-like calls and cries which were really 

 touching, for they seemed like lamentations for 

 his mates or dreams of home. 



When getting-up time came, the little fellow 

 uncoiled himself ; we heard gentle stirrings, and 

 a low, single chirp, — a true bird note. In a 

 moment a corner of the shawl was lifted, a wide- 

 awake black face with its crown of silver hair 

 appeared, looking, as I said, comically like a 

 black old lady with a white nightcap. The 

 next instant out stepped the marmoset, stretch- 

 ing himself, and showing us how long and thin 

 he really was. His usual position was sitting 

 up like a squirrel, when he looked round and 

 plump enough. 



