THE MARMOSET. 



83 



There sat a marmoset, the smallest of the mon- 

 key family, not nearly so big as his fist. 



Before his mother could speak, he held the 

 other hand out, and there sat another monkey, 

 almost the twin brother of the first. 



" Oh, what cunning little creatures ! Are these 

 your monkeys? " burst out the mother in changed 

 tones, and coming nearer. " The dear little fel- 

 lows! do let me take them!" and she put out 

 her hand. 



The smaller of the two accepted the offer, 

 sprang into her hand, and ran up her arm to her 

 shoulder, where he sat down to a close study of 

 the lace in her neck. But the other one greeted 

 her with a sharp chattering, and hastened to hide 

 himself at the back of the neck of his master, 

 cuddled down inside his collar. No more coax- 

 ing was needed. The little strangers won the 

 heart of the whole household, and before night 

 every one was as fond of them as their owner. 

 They were the Pigmy Marmoset, four inches 

 tall when standing up, and so light one could sit 

 on the edge of a china teacup and not upset it. 



Nothing was ever more funny to look at than 

 a rough-and-tumble fight between these two little 

 beasts, when they would wrestle violently to- 

 gether, throw each other down freely, scold and 

 chatter, with plenty of room to spare — all in the 

 palm of a lady's hand. 



