368 Thk Dukukuli: Anotheh Night-Monkey. 
some years to wait, lie will iu the greatest number of cases he given by 
Iiis father-in-law, a widow, or an older unmarried girl out of the family, 
who after the marriage with the real bride withdraws to the status of a 
servant, 
897. It has l>een previously stated that the \\ ()i]i('n get tlieir hair 
cut aft(er the death of their husbands, and also (liat they must not re- 
marry until it has once more attained a certain length. AVlien the time 
arrives the nearest relative of the deceased has the first claim on the 
widow. Supposing somebody else wants her, he must buy her from the 
former for a gun, a corial, or some other object. If someone marries 
her without the consent of the rightful heir, this mostly becomes a cause 
of sanguinai-y strife. It follows from what has been mentioned that 
polygamy is almost generally indigenous. 
898. The chief can claim the services of the family of his wives 
when circumstances demand it: in return for this, however, he is bound 
to participate in all their quarrels, to avenge injuries offered them, and 
to board them in his own quarters in time of drought, etc. It often 
happens in such cases that his supplies are com]iletely consumed and he 
tinds himself forced to go. with his immediate family, to relatives or 
friends living more remote, on whom he lives until his cassava fields get 
new crops. Blood revenge is ]nactised by the Arawaks to its utmost 
extent. 
899. In Asacota, I became aciiuainted with one of the most inter- 
esting animals of Gui;ina, a night-monlvey {NijctipifJieens trivirgatus 
Spix), the Durukuli of the Indians, as a tame domestic animal. It was 
the first specimen I had (ver seen in the course of my stay: I saw a 
second one on my return to Demerara with my friend Stutchbury, who 
had bought it from stranger Indians. It is a pretty queer sort of 
animal and shuns light jnst as much as the owl and bat : its small round 
head, enormously large yellow eyes, and short little ears give it a curi- 
ously droll appearance. If the Kinkajou (Sect. 885) made grimaces 
when during the day it was disturbed from sleep and brought into the 
light, the very troulded and helpless movements of tho Durukuli aroused 
our downright compassion. By day the Durukuli is almost absolutely 
blind: it staggers around like a blind man, and clasps the first convenient 
dark object, onto which it presses its face so as to escape the painful 
effects of the light. Its favourite spot during the day was the darkest 
corner of the house, or the huge paiwari trough under which it lay in a 
regular torpor, out of which it could only be awakened by several smacks. 
But the shades of uight had hardly fallen, than the sound sleeper came 
forth from out of its Inrkiug-place. and now no more itiischievous or 
funnier a creature could be found. It went from 'hammock to ham- 
mock, usually licking the hands and faces of the sleepers' lying inside: 
from the ground it climbed to the topmost i-afters, and what was not 
fixed firm enough was usually found lying about on the ground of a morn- 
ing. By virtue of the length of the hind limbs as compared with that of 
the front ones, the Durukuli is a most accomplished jumper. The capers 
that I noticed in the specimen at Asacota were exactly repeated in the 
one at Mr. Stutchbui^'s. It was curious how the animal, after pitch- 
