the naturalist on the river amazons-第86部分

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not　at　all　prominent；　the　mouth　and　chin　are　small；　the　cars　are　very　short；　scarcely　appearing　above　the　hair　of　the　head；　and　the　eyes　are　large　and　yellowish　in　colour；　imparting　the　staring　expression　of　nocturnal　animals　of　prey。　The　forehead　is　whitish；　and　decorated　with　three　black　stripes；　which　in　one　of　the　species　（Nyctipithecus　trivirgatus）　continue　to　the　crown；　and　in　the　other　（N。　felinus）；　meet　on　the　top　of　the　forehead。　N。　trivirgatus　was　first　described　by　Humboldt；　who　discovered　it　on　the　banks　of　the　Cassiquiare；　near　the　head　waters　of　the　Rio　Negro。

I　kept　a　pet　animal　of　the　N。　trivirgatus　for　many　months；　a　young　one　having　been　given　to　me　by　an　Indian　compadre；　as　a　present　from　my　newly…baptised　godson。　These　monkeys；　although　sleeping　by　day；　are　aroused　by　the　least　noise；　so　that；　when　a　person　passes　by　a　tree　in　which　a　number　of　them　are　concealed；　he　is　startled　by　the　sudden　apparition　of　a　group　of　little　striped　faces　crowding　a　hole　in　the　trunk。　It　was　in　this　way　that　my　compadre　discovered　the　colony　from　which　the　one　given　to　me　was　taken。　I　was　obliged　to　keep　my　pet　chained　up；　it　therefore；　never　became　thoroughly　familiar。　I　once　saw；　however；　an　individual　of　the　other　species　（N。　felinus）　which　was　most　amusingly　tame。　It　was　as　lively　and　nimble　as　the　Cebi；　but　not　so　mischievous　and　far　more　confiding　in　its　disposition；　delighting　to　be　caressed　by　all　persons　who　came　into　the　house。　But　its　owner；　the　Municipal　Judge　of　Ega；　Dr。　Carlos　Mariana；　had　treated　it　for　many　weeks　with　the　greatest　kindness；　allowing　it　to　sleep　with　him　at　night　in　his　hammock；　and　to　nestle　in　his　bosom　half　the　day　as　he　lay　reading。　It　was　a　great　favourite　with　everyone；　from　the　cleanliness　of　its　habits　to　the　prettiness　of　its　features　and　ways。　My　own　pet　was　kept　in　a　box；　in　which　was　placed　a　broad…mouthed　glass　jar；　into　this　it　would　dive；　head　foremost；　when　any　one　entered　the　room；　turning　round　inside；　and　thrusting　forth　its　inquisitive　face　an　instant　afterwards　to　stare　at　the　intruder。　It　was　very　active　at　night；　venting　at　frequent　intervals　a　hoarse　cry；　like　the　suppressed　barking　of　a　dog；　and　scampering　about　the　room；　to　the　length　of　its　tether；　after　cockroaches　and　spiders。　In　climbing　between　the　box　and　the　wall；　it　straddled　the　space；　resting　its　hands　on　the　palms　and　tips　of　the　out…stretched　fingers　with　the　knuckles　bent　at　an　acute　angle；　and　thus　mounted　to　the　top　with　the　greatest　facility。　Although　seeming　to　prefer　insects；　it　ate　all　kinds　of　fruit；　but　would　not　touch　raw　or　cooked　meat；　and　was　very　seldom　thirsty。　I　was　told　by　persons　who　had　kept　these　monkeys　loose　about　the　house；　that　they　cleared　the　chambers　of　bats　as　well　as　insect　vermin。　When　approached　gently　my　Ei…a　allowed　itself　to　be　caressed；　but　when　handled　roughly；　it　always　took　alarm；　biting　severely；　striking　out　its　little　hands；　and　making　a　hissing　noise　like　a　cat。　As　already　related；　my　pet　was　killed　by　a　jealous　Caiarara　monkey；　which　was　kept　in　the　house　at　the　same　time。

Barrigudo　Monkeys。Ten　other　species　of　monkeys　were　found；　in　addition　to　those　already　mentioned；　in　the　forests　of　the　Upper　Amazons。　All　were　strictly　arboreal　and　diurnal　in　their　habits；　and　lived　in　flocks；　travelling　from　tree　to　tree；　the　mothers　with　their　children　on　their　backs　leading；　in　fact；　a　life　similar　to　that　of　the　Pararauate　Indians；　and；　like　them；　occasionally　plundering　the　plantations　which　lie　near　their　line　of　march。　Some　of　them　were　found　also　on　the　Lower　Amazons；　and　have　been　noticed　in　former　chapters　of　this　narrative。　Of　the　remainder；　the　most　remarkable　is　the　Macaco　barrigudo；　or　bag…　bellied　monkey　of　the　Portuguese　colonists；　a　species　of　Lagothrix。　The　genus　is　closely　allied　to　the　Coaitas；　or　spider　monkeys；　having；　like　them；　exceedingly　strong　and　flexible　tails；　which　are　furnished　underneath　with　a　naked　palm　like　a　hand；　for　grasping。　The　Barrigudos；　however；　are　very　bulky　animals；　while　the　spider　monkeys　are　remarkable　for　the　slenderness　of　their　bodies　and　limbs。　I　obtained　specimens　of　what　have　been　considered　two　species；　one　（L。　olivaceus　of　Spix？）　having　the　head　clothed　with　grey；　the　other　（L。　Humboldtii）　with　black　fur。　They　both　live　together　in　the　same　places；　and　are　probably　only　differently…coloured　individuals　of　one　and　the　same　species。　I　sent　home　a　very　large　male　of　one　of　these　kinds；　which　measured　twenty…seven　inches　in　length　of　trunk；　the　tail　being　twenty…six　inches　long；　it　was　the　largest　monkey　I　saw　in　America；　with　the　exception　of　a　black　Howler；　whose　body　was　twenty…eight　inches　in　height。　The　skin　of　the　face　in　the　Barrigudo　is　black　and　wrinkled；　the　forehead　is　low；　with　the　eyebrows　projecting；　and；　in　short；　the　features　altogether　resemble　in　a　striking　manner　those　of　an　old　negro。　In　the　forests；　the　Barrigudo　is　not　a　very　active　animal；　it　lives　exclusively　on　fruits；　and　is　much　persecuted　by　the　Indians；　on　account　of　the　excellence　of　its　flesh　as　food。　From　information　given　me　by　a　collector　of　birds　and　mammals；　whom　I　employed；　and　who　resided　a　long　time　among　the　Tucuna　Indians　near　Tabatinga；　I　calculated　that　one　horde　of　this　tribe；　200　in　number；　destroyed　1200　of　these　monkeys　annually　for　food。　The　species　is　very　numerous　in　the　forests　of　the　higher　lands；　but；　owing　to　long　persecution；　it　is　now　seldom　seen　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　larger　villages。　It　is　not　found　at　all　on　the　Lower　Amazons。　Its　manners　in　captivity　are　grave；　and　its　temper　mild　and　confiding；　like　that　of　the　Coaitas；　owing　to　these　traits；　the　Barrigudo　is　much　sought　after　for　pets；　but　it　is　not　hardy　like　the　Coaitas；　and　seldom　survives　a　passage　down　the　river　to　Para。

Marmosets。…It　now　only　remains　to　notice　the　Marmosets；　which　form　the　second　family　of　American　monkeys。　Our　old　friend　Midas　ursulus；　of　Para　and　the　Lower　Amazons；　is　not　found　on　the　Upper　river；　but　in　its　stead　a　closely…allied　species　presents　itself；　which　appears　to　be　the　Midas　rufoniger　of　Gervais；　whose　mouth　is　bordered　with　longish　white　hairs。　The　habits　of　this　species　are　the　same　as　those　of　the　M。　ursulus；　indeed　it　seems　probable　that　it　is　a　form　or　race　of　the　same　stock；　modified　to　suit　the　altered　local　conditions　under　which　it　lives。　One　day；　while　walking　along　a　forest　pathway；　I　saw　one　of　these　lively　little　fellows　miss　his　grasp　as　he　was　passing　from　one　tree　to　another　along　with　his　troop。　He　fell　head　foremost；　from　a　height　of　at　least　fifty　feet；　but　managed　cleverly　to　alight　on　his　legs　in　the　pathway；　quickly　turning　around；　gave　me　a　good　stare　for　a　few　moments；　and　then　bounded　off　gaily　to　climb　another　tree。　At　Tunantins；　I　shot　a　pair　of　a　very　handsome　species　of　Marmoset；　the　M。　rufiventer；　I　believe；　of　zoologists。　Its　coat　was　very　glossy　and　smooth；　the　back　deep　brown；　and　the　underside　of　the　body　of　rich　black　and　reddish　hues。　A　third　species　（found　at　Tabatinga；　200　miles　further　west）　is　of　a　deep　black　colour；　with　the　exception　of　a　patch　of　white　hair　around　its　mouth。　The　little　animal；　at　a　short　distance；　looks　as　though　it　held　a　ball　of　snow…white　cotton　in　its　teeth。　The　last　I　shall　mention　is　the　Hapale　pygmaeus；　one　of　the　most　diminutive　forms　of　the　monkey　order；　three　full…grown　specimens　of　which；　measuring　only　seven　inches　in　length　of　body；　I　obtained　near　St。　Paulo。　The　pretty　Lilliputian　face　is　furnished　with　long　brown　whiskers；　which　are　naturally　brushed　back　over　the　cars。　The　general　colour　of　the　animal　is　brownish…tawny；　but　the　tail　is　elegantly　barred　with　black。　I　was　surprised；　on　my　return　to　England；　to　learn　from　specimens　in　the　British　Museum；　that　the　pigmy　Marmoset　was　found　also　in　Mexico　no　other　Amazonian　monkey　being　known　to　wander　far　from　the　great　river　plain。　Thus；　the　smallest　and　apparently　the　feeblest；　species　of　the　whole　order；　is　one　which　has；　by　some　means；　become　the　most　widely　dispersed。

The　Jupura。A　curious　animal；　known　to　naturalists　as　the　Kinkajou；　but　called　Jupura　by　the　Indians　of　the　Amazons；　and　considered　by　them　as　a　kind　of　monkey；　may　be　mentioned　in　this　place。　It　is　the　Cercoleptes　caudivolvus　of　zoologists；　and　has　been　considered　by　some　authors　as　an　intermediate　form　between　the　Lemur　family　of　apes　and　the　plantigrade　Carnivora；　or　Bear　family。　It　has　decidedly　no　close　relation　ship　to　either　of　the　groups　of　American　monkeys；　having　six　cutting　teeth　to　each　jaw；　and　long　claws　instead　of　nails；　with　extremities　of　the　usual　shape　of　paws　instead　of　hands。　Its　muzzle　is　conical　and　pointed；　like　that　of　many　Lemurs　of　Madagascar；　the　expression　of　its　countenance；　and　its　habits　and　actions；　are　also　very　similar　to　those　of　Lemurs。　Its　tail　is　very　flexible　towards　the　tip；　and　is　used　to　twine　round　branches　in　climbing。　I　did　not　see　or　hear　anything　of　this　animal　while　residing　on　the　Lower　Amazons；　but　on　the　banks　of　the　Upper　river；　from　the　Teffe　to　Peru；　it　appeared　to　be　rather　common。　It　is　nocturnal　in　its　habits；　like　the　owl…faced　monkeys；　although；　unlike　them；　it　has　a　bright；　dark　eye。　I　once　saw　it　in　considerable　numbers；　when　on　an　excursion　with　an　Indian　companion　along　the　low　Ygapo　shores　of　the　Teffe；　about　twenty　miles　above　Ega。　We　slept　one　night　at　the　house　of　a　native　family　living　in　the　thick　of　the　forest　where　a　festival　was　going　on　and；　there　being　no　room　to　hang　our　hammocks　under　shelter。　on　account　of　the　number　of　visitors；　we　lay　down　on　a　mat　in　the　open　air；　near　a　shed　which　stood　in　the　midst　of　a　grove　of　fruit…trees　and　pupunha　palms。　Past　midnight；　when　all　became　still；　after　the　uproar　of　holidaymaking；　as　I　was　listening　to　the　dull；　fanning　sound　made　by　the　wings　of　impish　hosts　of　vampire　bats　crowding　round　the　Caju　trees；　a　rustle　commenced　from　the　side　of　the　woods；　and　a　troop　of　slender；　long…tailed　animals　were　seen　against　the　clear　moonlit　sky；　taking　flying　leaps　from　branch　to　branch　through　the　grove。　Many　of　them　stopped　at　the　pupunha　trees；　and　the　hustling；　twittering；　and　screaming；　with　sounds　of　falling　fruits；　showed　how　they　were　employed。　I　thought；　at　first；　they　were　Nyctipitheci；　but　they　proved　to　be　Jupuras；　for　the