NIGHT-MONKEYS. 
185 
3. NYCTIPITHECUS VOCIFER.4NS.— NOISY NIGHT-MONKEY. 
Sjrn. Nvctipithecus yociferans (Le Babillard Bron) Spii, p. 25. — Less. 
in Diet. Class. XV. 
Cebus yociferans. — Fisch. Syn. Mam. 
Icon. Spii, Sim. et Vespert. Bras. pi. 19 (fern.) 
specific characters. 
The Hair wholly of a brown colour, paler underneath. 
The Face and Hands brown. No beard. Tail scarcely longer than 
the body. 
Inhabits the Forests of Solimoens near Tabatinga. 
As already stated, this species is introduced upon the authority of 
Spix, and adopted by Fischer and Lesson. We are led to understand it 
is smaller in size, is beardless, and that the tail is scarcely longer than the 
body. It has the same slender body, but is almost entiiely of a brown 
colour. The two species have much the same habits, sleeping through- 
out the day, and being active during the night, chattering loud in small 
companies. Though not easily caught, yet the Indians, on discovering 
their retreats, soon capture them, as the strong day-light almost blinds 
them. 
This animal has a white marking both above and below the eye ; there 
are some dark brown streaks on the forehead, and the fur is paler 
coloured under the belly. The ears are not so large as in the last spe- 
cies, nor is the tail so long. Both species are very timid, retiring, cleanly, 
and delicate. 
The natives speak of another nearly allied species, which they call 
Xupara, and Spix considers it probable there may be several iti the forests 
of Solimoens. 
FAMILY II. tIAPALE.— MARMOUSETS. 
Si/n. Les Ouistitis — Cuv. Reg. Anim. I. 104. 
SiMiA (in part) Linn. Gmel. I. 
Hapale (from soft) — lllig. Prodr. p. 71. 
Arctopitheci (AacTOPiTHiouEs). — Geoff. Ann, Mus. XIX. 118, 
GENUS HAPALE.— Illig. 
CHARACTERS OF THE FAMILY AND GENUS. 
General Form approaching to that of Man. 
Claws on the thumbs of the fore-hands, and on all the fingers. 
T. r. ,12-fC-f-(3 F-1-2)M_16 
The Dental Formula ° /q c — T7 
l2-l-C-f-(3 F-f2)M’ 
Inhabit the tropical parts of America. 
16 
i=32. 
Nails only on the hinder thumbs. 
The Marmousets, forming a small group like the Sakis, have long 
been confounded with the great family of Apes or Monkeys. In 
fact, they resemble the Apes of America, in having the head round, 
the face flat, the nostrils lateral, and the buttocks hairy ; they have 
no cheek-pouches, and their tail, like that of the Sakis, is not pre- 
hensile. They differ from them, however, in having only twenty 
molar teeth like the Apes of the Old Continent ; all their nails or 
claws are compressed and pointed, excepting those of the hinder 
thumbs, while the thumbs of the fore-hands are so slightly separated 
from the fingers, that one would almost hesitate in applying the 
term quadrumanous to this family. 
They are diminutive animals, of an agreeable form, and are easily 
tamed. 
We liave now in the foregoing pages taken a survey of the Apes of the 
Old World, and, latterly, of the majority of those of the other hemi- 
sphere. A small group still remains, which M. Geoffroy- St- Hilaire 
formed into a section of the Apes of the New World. This section, the 
lirclopitheques of the last named Naturalist — the Hapale of llliger, has 
been subdivided by many' Naturalists into tlie Jacchus and Midas, while 
Mikan, in his splendid work on the Fauna of Brazil {Delectus Flares et 
Fauna Brasilicitsis'), has arranged it into three minor divisions. Without 
doubting the existence of the minor distinctions pointed out by these ce- 
lebr.ated writers, we think that tlie purposes of modern classification will 
*>ll be satisfied by arranging them in one family ; and, with Desmarest, 
Eanzani, and especially with M. Isidore Geofiroy-St-Hilaire, we shall 
consider them as forming a single genus. 
Of the principal characteristics of the Ape family, namely, four vertical 
mcisors in each jaw, flat nails on the fingers and toes, and a complete os- 
sified case for the lodgment of the eyes, the family of the Marmousets 
possesses the last alone. Comparing this family, again, with the other 
Monkeys of the New World, we find, while the latter have 36 teeth, 
the former have only 32, agreeing herein with the Apes of the Old 
World. The form of tlieir teeth, moreover, differs from those of both 
the foregoing groups. The incisors arc oblique and prominent, more es- 
pecially those of the upper jaw, which are also broad : those of the lower 
jaw are much longer and narrower ; the lateral incisors are much shorter. 
The three false molars have a point at their external edge, and a heel on 
their internal ; the two true molars of the upper jaw are tricuspidate, 
those of the lower have four tubercles. Not only are these Marmousets 
<^estitute of some leading characters of the Apes, but, literally, they do not 
deserve the name of Quadrumana. Their upper extremities are not true 
hands ; and this is not owing, as in the Sapajoos and others, to the want 
or rudimentary state of the thumb, but because it is not sufiiciently free, 
and hence cannot be opposed to the fingers ; moreover, it is not armed 
with a nail but a claw. The tail is always longer than the body, and 
thickly clad. The fur is generally long, bushy, and very soft to the 
touch i its colours are usually brilliant and beautiful. 
Like most other Monkeys they live among trees ; and though desti- 
tute of the grasping hands of some, and the prehensile tails of others, 
the deficiency is made up by their claws, which enable them to 
climb like Birds, and to the very summits of the loftiest trees, 
where their more weighty and powerful associates and foes cannot follow 
them. 
Little is known of the habits of these beautiful little creatures in their 
native haunts ; but many of the species have been imported into Europe, 
and as here they tluive with due care, and even propagate, their man- 
ners are not wholly unknown. Interesting notices will appear under 
many of the species, and we shall here introduce only a few anecdotes 
illustrative of their mental powers as observed by M. Audouin in the 
Common Marmouset. Daily experience shows that a Dog placed before 
a mirror does not recognise his likeness, and is still less capable of receiv- 
ing any peculiar impression from the most striking picture. M. Audouin, 
however, assures us from innumerable observations, that it was very dif- 
ferent with his Monkeys ; and that in a picture they could recognise not 
only their own likeness, but also that of other animals. Thus the picture 
of a Cat, and, which is even more remarkable, even that of a Wasp, 
would put them in terror, whilst if a Beetle or Lady-bird was represented 
on the canvas, they would dart upon it for their prey. This single fact 
seems to indicate very considerable intelligence, and it is supported by 
others. One day one of M. Audouin’s pets, in eating a grape, squirted 
some of the juice into its eye ; and never afterwards would it eat grapes 
but with its eyes shut. Alarmed at the picture of a Wasp, their panic, 
as will readily be supposed, is much greater for a real one. Thus we are 
told that one day a Wasp being attracted to tlicircageby a lump of sugar, 
the two Monkeys instantly retreated to the most remote corner. On this 
M. Audouin, having caught the Wasp, approximated it to them, when they 
violently shut their eyes, and hid their heads between their bands. They 
were exceeding fond of the smaller insects, which they seized with ad- 
dress ; also of sugar, roasted apples, and eggs : they never would eat any 
kind of nuts, or acid fruits ; they also declined meat ; but they instantly 
seized and devoured small living Birds. Their sight was very acute; and 
their curiosity insatiable; they were very capricious, but became familiar 
will) their keepers. Their cry was various, according to the different 
emotions which agitated them. 
