Quadrumana. MAMMALIA. Quadeumana. 
Tribe II.— LAGOTRICHINA. 
The Lagothrices are distinguished by a round head, 
perpendicular face, and small canine teeth. The 
hinder part of the lower jaw is but little dilated. 
They are slow and solemn in aspect, living in groups, 
and eating insects and fruit. The genus Ateles has 
a dry, hard and smooth fur. The cutting-teeth are 
large, unequal, the two middle ones very long and 
broad ; tlie grinders are small and rounded. The 
thumb is rudimentary, or is absent altogether. The 
chin and throat are nearly bald. The hair of the 
head is directed forward. 
The Spider Monkeys are characterized by their ex- 
tremely long and slender limbs and tail. Their range 
is over the entire area which the family inhabits, 
being found on the west side of the equatorial Andes, 
and on the Pacific Coast of Guatemala. 
The term Ateles signifies imperfect, and is applied 
to this group on account of the hands being thumb- 
less, or nearly so. In some species the member is a 
rudimentary one. 
THE RED-FACED SPIDER MONKEY {Ateles panis- 
cus ). — Plate 2, fig. 6. The Cebidceaxe well represented 
by the Spider Monkeys, which have gained their 
appellation from their remarkably attenuated forms. 
The limbs are slender and singularly long, and the 
tail has quite the semblance as well as efi'ectiveness 
of a fifth arm. The latter member is considerably 
longer than the body ; its extremity upon the inner 
surface is soft and palm-like, devoid of hair, and is 
practically a very supple and sensitive finger. It is 
carried with exceeding grace as he advances, and is 
ever the avant courier of all his movements. One is 
constantly reminded of the Elephant’s proboscis, so 
adroitly, invariably, does Ateles present this fifth 
clasping member to his work — we might with propriety 
say his first member — for no one can witness his pro- 
gression without being impressed with the fact that 
the prehensile tail is the one important means to the 
peculiar locomotion required in arboreal life, so fully 
adapted is this feature to the conditions of its exis- 
tence and habits. Its almost requisite element seems 
to be an unbroken forest ; .this it has in all the 
grandeur of immensity — the Brazilian and tropical 
belt of woodland, which extends nearly from ocean 
to ocean, the width of the Continent. Some of the 
marine Mammals would be but little more embarrassed 
out of their appropriate element, than the Spider Mon- 
key deprived of the friendly branching trees. 
AVe have taken our material, and figure for descrip- 
tion, directly from life, from the specimens in the Zoo- 
logical Collection at Central Park, New York. Here 
are two species the A. paniscu.s and A. belzebuth — ■ 
representing the most slender of the group, and show- 
ing in perfection all their peculiar features. 
During the time occupied in sketching these indi- 
viduals, the male kept up an unceasing display of calis- 
thenics ; the female seemed annoyed at this much of 
the time, but occasionally, when rudely jerked from the 
floor by the long, upraised tail, which they invariably 
carry erect when walking, she would join in the gambols. 
She was soon wearied, however, and willingly re- 
rig. V. 
turned to her accustomed seat. On the wire screen 
of the great cage they seemed to spread out like 
Daddy-long-legs, impressing us much as that insect 
does, with its strange, furtive movements. Now, one 
passes hand over hand along the horizontal bar, never 
omitting a convenient contact of the tail-tip, which 
clasps a similar bar above, and slides along its surface, 
as we lead our hand down a stair-rail, ready to grasp 
it in any emergency. A sudden caprice, and his body 
drops; suspended by the tail he swings to and fro, 
glancing aimlessly, in the manner of all monkeys — 
in short, looking altogether as if he was doubtful 
what to do next. In this moment of indecision, he 
suddenly entertains a notion that his mate needs 
stirring up ; whereupon he drops upon the floor, in- 
stantly stands erect, extends his long arms high above 
