SAKI MONKEYS. 
1 75 
Guiana, and may be regarded as the typical representative of the group. It is 
characterised by its white or yellowish forehead, marked by a central streak of 
black, the rest of the long fur being black, and the individual hairs of the same 
colour throughout. In common with the two following species, the hair on the 
crown of the head is arranged in a radiated manner, the beard is broad and single, 
and the tail clothed with long hair, which, like that on the body, is still* and coarse. 
Humboldt’s Saki (Pithecia monachus). 
In the Amazon valley, as far west as Ecuador, the white-headed saki is re¬ 
placed by a species distinguished by having no black streak down the middle of the 
white or yellowish forehead, and also by the greater length of the hair covering the 
head and body. This species is Humboldt’s saki, also known as the hairy saki 
(P. hirsuta), and—by the inhabitants of the Upper Amazon—as the parauacu. The 
general colour is black with a grey grizzle, and the tip of each hair white. There 
is, however, a paler variety (P. albicans), in which the general colour is greyish- 
white, with only a large patch on the back and the tail black, the individual hairs 
being tipped with pure white, as in the ordinary variety. 
When at Ega, far up on the Amazon, and at no very great distance from the 
frontier of Ecuador, Mr. Bates saw several specimens of this monkey. He describes 
it as being “ a timid, inoffensive creature, with a long bear-like coat of speckled grey 
hair. The long fur hangs over the head, half concealing the pleasing, diminutive 
face, and clothes also the tail to the tip, which member is well-developed, being 
18 inches in length, or longer than the body. The parauacu is found on the 
terra fcrma lands of the north shore of the Solimoens, from Tunantins to Peru. 
It exists also on the south side of the river, namely, on the banks of the Teffe, but 
there under a changed form, which differs a little from its type in colours.” The 
variety here alluded to is the whitish one, which we have already mentioned, 
Mr. Bates goes on to say that this saki is “ a very delicate species, rarely living 
many weeks in captivity; but any one who succeeds in keeping it alive for a 
month or two gains by it a most affectionate pet.” Our author then proceeds to 
notice a specimen of the pale variety which belonged to a French inhabitant of 
Ega. This animal “ became so tame in the course of a few weeks that it followed 
him about the streets like a dog. My friend was a tailor, and the little pet used to 
spend the greater part of the day seated on his shoulder, whilst he was at work on His 
board. It showed, nevertheless, a great dislike to strangers, and was not on good terms 
with any other member of my friend’s household than himself. I saw no monkey that 
showed so strong a personal attachment as this gentle, timid, silent little creature. 
The eager and passionate cebi (sapajous) seem to take the lead of all the South 
American monkeys in intelligence and docility, and the coaita (spider-monkey) has 
perhaps the most gentle and impressible disposition; but the parauacu, although 
a dull, cheerless animal, excels all in this quality of capability of attachment to 
individuals of our own species. It is not wanting, however, in intelligence as well 
as moral goodness, proof of which was furnished one day by an act of our little pet. 
My neighbour had quitted his house one morning without taking the parauacu 
with him, and the little creature having missed its friend, and concluded, as it 
