the naturalist on the river amazons-第85部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


；　as　it　is　in　the　Macaques　and　Baboons　of　the　Old　World。　It　differs　a　little　from　the　typical　Cebidae　in　its　teeth；　the　incisors　being　oblique　and；　in　the　upper　jaw；　converging；　so　as　to　leave　a　gap　between　the　outermost　and　the　canine　teeth。　Like　all　the　rest　of　its　family；　it　differs　from　the　monkeys　of　the　Old　World；　and　from　man；　in　having　an　additional　grinding…tooth　（premolar）　in　each　side　of　both　jaws；　making　the　complete　set　thirty…six　instead　of　thirty…two　in　number。

The　white　Uakari　（Brachyurus　calvus）；　seems　to　be　found　in　no　other　part　of　America　than　the　district　just　mentioned；　namely；　the　banks　of　the　Japura；　near　its　principal　mouth；　and　even　there　it　is　confined；　as　far　I　could　learn；　to　the　western　side　of　the　river。　It　lives　in　small　troops　among　the　crowns　of　the　lofty　trees；　subsisting　on　fruits　of　various　kinds。　Hunters　say　it　is　pretty　nimble　in　its　motions；　but　is　not　much　given　to　leaping；　preferring　to　run　up　and　down　the　larger　boughs　in　travelling　from　tree　to　tree。　The　mother；　as　in　other　species　of　the　monkey　order；　carries　her　young　on　her　back。　Individuals　are　obtained　alive　by　shooting　them　with　the　blow…pipe　and　arrows　tipped　with　diluted　Urari　poison。　They　run　a　considerable　distance　after　being　pierced；　and　it　requires　an　experienced　hunter　to　track　them。　He　is　considered　the　most　expert　who　can　keep　pace　with　a　wounded　one；　and　catch　it　in　his　arms　when　it　falls　exhausted。　A　pinch　of　salt；　the　antidote　to　the　poison；　is　then　put　in　its　mouth；　and　the　creature　revives。　The　species　is　rare；　even　in　the　limited　district　which　it　inhabits。　Senor　Chrysostomo　sent　six　of　his　most　skillful　Indians；　who　were　absent　three　weeks　before　they　obtained　the　twelve　specimens　which　formed　his　unique　and　princely　gift。　When　an　independent　hunter　obtains　one；　a　very　high　price　（thirty　to　forty　milreis）　＇Three　pounds　seven　shillings　to　four　pounds　thirteen　shillings＇　is　asked；　these　monkeys　being　in　great　demand　for　presents　to　persons　of　influence　down　the　river。

Adult　Uakaris；　caught　in　the　way　just　described；　very　rarely　become　tame。　They　are　peevish　and　sulky；　resisting　all　attempts　to　coax　them；　and　biting　anyone　who　ventures　within　reach。　They　have　no　particular　cry；　even　when　in　their　native　woods；　in　captivity　they　are　quite　silent。　In　the　course　of　a　few　days　or　weeks；　if　not　very　carefully　attended　to；　they　fall　into　a　listless　condition；　refuse　food；　and　die。　Many　of　them　succumb　to　a　disease　which　I　suppose　from　the　symptoms　to　be　inflammation　of　the　chest　or　lungs。　The　one　which　I　kept　as　a　pet　died　of　this　disorder　after　I　had　had　it　about　three　weeks。　It　lost　its　appetite　in　a　very　few　days；　although　kept　in　an　airy　verandah；　its　coat；　which　was　originally　long；　smooth；　and　glossy；　became　dingy　and　ragged　like　that　of　the　specimens　seen　in　museums；　and　the　bright　scarlet　colour　of　its　face　changed　to　a　duller　hue。　This　colour；　in　health；　is　spread　over　the　features　up　to　the　roots　of　the　hair　on　the　forehead　and　temples；　and　down　to　the　neck；　including　the　flabby　cheeks　which　hang　down　below　the　jaws。　The　animal；　in　this　condition；　looks　at　a　short　distance　as　though　some　one　had　laid　a　thick　coat　of　red　paint　on　its　countenance。　The　death　of　my　pet　was　slow；　during　the　last　twenty…four　hours　it　lay　prostrate；　breathing　quickly；　its　chest　strongly　heaving；　the　colour　of　its　face　became　gradually　paler；　but　was　still　red　when　it　expired。　As　the　hue　did　not　quite　disappear　until　two　or　three　hours　after　the　animal　was　quite　dead；　I　judged　that　it　was　not　exclusively　due　to　the　blood；　but　partly　to　a　pigment　beneath　the　skin　which　would　probably　retain　its　colour　a　short　time　after　the　circulation　had　ceased。

After　seeing　much　of　the　morose　disposition　of　the　Uakari；　I　was　not　a　little　surprised　one　day　at　a　friend's　house　to　find　an　extremely　lively　and　familiar　individual　of　this　species。　It　ran　from　an　inner　chamber　straight　towards　me　after　I　had　sat　down　on　a　chair；　climbed　my　legs　and　nestled　in　my　lap；　turning　round　and　looking　up　with　the　usual　monkey's　grin；　after　it　had　made　itself　comfortable。　It　was　a　young　animal　which　had　been　taken　when　its　mother　was　shot　with　a　poisoned　arrow；　its　teeth　were　incomplete；　and　the　face　was　pale　and　mottled；　the　glowing　scarlet　hue　not　supervening　in　these　animals　before　mature　age；　it　had　also　a　few　long　black　hairs　on　the　eyebrows　and　lips。　The　frisky　little　fellow　had　been　reared　in　the　house　amongst　the　children；　and　allowed　to　run　about　freely；　and　take　its　meals　with　the　rest　of　the　household。　There　are　few　animals　which　the　Brazilians　of　these　villages　have　not　succeeded　in　taming。　I　have　even　seen　young　jaguars　running　loose　about　a　house；　and　treated　as　pets。　The　animals　that　I　had　rarely　became　familiar；　however　long　they　might　remain　in　my　possession；　a　circumstance　due　no　doubt　to　their　being　kept　always　tied　up。

The　Uakari　is　one　of　the　many　species　of　animals　which　are　classified　by　the　Brazilians　as　〃mortal；〃　or　of　delicate　constitution；　in　contradistinction　to　those　which　are　〃duro；〃　or　hardy。　A　large　proportion　of　the　specimens　sent　from　Ega　die　before　arriving　at　Para；　and　scarcely　one　in　a　dozen　succeeds　in　reaching　Rip　Janeiro　alive。　The　difficulty　it　has　of　accommodating　itself　to　changed　conditions　probably　has　some　connection　with　the　very　limited　range　or　confined　sphere　of　life　of　the　species　in　its　natural　state；　its　native　home　being　an　area　of　swampy　woods；　not　more　than　about　sixty　square　miles　in　extent；　although　no　permanent　barrier　exists　to　cheek　its　dispersal；　except　towards　the　south；　over　a　much　wider　space。　When　I　descended　the　river　in　1859；　we　had　with　us　a　tame　adult　Uakari；　which　was　allowed　to　ramble　about　the　vessel；　a　large　schooner。　When　we　reached　the　mouth　of　the　Rio　Negro；　we　had　to　wait　four　days　while　the　custom…house　officials　at　Barra；　ten　miles　distant；　made　out　the　passports　for　our　crew；　and　during　this　time　the　schooner　lay　close　to　the　shore；　with　its　bowsprit　secured　to　the　trees　on　the　bank。　Well；　one　morning；　scarlet…face　was　missing；　having　made　his　escape　into　the　forest。　Two　men　were　sent　in　search　of　him；　but　returned　after　several　hours'　absence　without　having　caught　sight　of　the　runaway。　We　gave　up　the　monkey　for　lost；　until　the　following　day；　when　he　re…appeared　on　the　skirts　of　the　forest；　and　marched　quietly　down　the　bowsprit　to　his　usual　place　on　deck。　He　had　evidently　found　the　forests　of　the　Rio　Negro　very　different　from　those　of　the　delta　lands　of　the　Japura；　and　preferred　captivity　to　freedom　in　a　place　that　was　so　uncongenial　to　him。

The　Parauacu　Monkey。Another　Ega　monkey；　nearly　related　to　the　Uakaris；　is　the　Parauacu　（Pithecia　hirsuta）；　a　timid　inoffensive　creature　with　a　long　bear…like　coat　of　harsh　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　eighteen　inches　in　length；　or　longer　than　the　body。　The　Parauacu　is　found　on　the　〃terra　firma〃　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。　This　form　has　been　described　by　Dr。　Gray　as　a　distinct　species；　under　the　name　of　Pithecia　albicans。　The　Parauacu　is　also　a　very　delicate　animal；　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。　One　of　the　specimens　of　Pithecia　albicans　now　in　the　British　Museum　was；　when　living；　the　property　of　a　young　Frenchman；　a　neighbour　of　mine　at　Ega。　It　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；　while　he　was　at　work　on　his　board。　Nevertheless；it　showed　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　seem　to　take　the　lead　of　all　the　South　American　monkeys　in　intelligence　and　docility；　and　the　Coaita　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　in　the　morning　without　taking　Parauacu　with　him；　and　the　little　creature　having　missed　its　friend；　and　concluded；　as　it　seemed；　that　he　would　be　sure　to　come　to　me；　both　being　in　the　habit　of　paying　me　a　daily　visit　together；　came　straight　to　my　dwelling；　taking　a　short　cut　over　gardens；　trees；　and　thickets；　instead　of　going　the　roundabout　way　of　the　street。　It　had　never　done　this　before；　and　we　knew　the　route　it　had　taken　only　from　a　neighbour　having　watched　its　movements。　On　arriving　at　my　house　and　not　finding　its　master；　it　climbed　to　the　top　of　my　table；　and　sat　with　an　air　of　quiet　resignation　waiting　for　him。　Shortly　afterwards　my　friend　entered；　and　the　gladdened　pet　then　jumped　to　its　usual　perch　on　his　shoulder。

Owl…laced　Night　ApesA　third　interesting　genus　of　monkeys　found　near　Ega；　are　the　Nyctipitheci；　or　night　apes；　called　Ei…a　by　the　Indians。　Of　these　I　found　two　species；　closely　related　to　each　other　but　nevertheless　quite　distinct；　as　both　inhabit　the　same　forests；　namely；　those　of　the　higher　and　drier　lands；　without　mingling　with　each　other　or　intercrossing。　They　sleep　all　day　long　in　hollow　trees；　and　come　forth　to　prey　on　insects　and　eat　fruits　only　in　the　night。　They　are　of　small　size；　the　body　being　about　a　foot　long；　and　the　tall　fourteen　inches；　and　are　thickly　clothed　with　soft　grey　and　brown　fur；　similar　in　substance　to　that　of　the　rabbit。　Their　physiognomy　reminds　one　of　an　owl；　or　tiger…cat：　the　face　is　round　and　encircled　by　a　ruff　of　whitish　fur。　the　muzzle　is　not　at　all　prominent；　the　mouth　and　chin　are　small；　the　cars　are　very　short；　scarcely　appearing　abov