Part 52

DISTRIBUTION.--Brazil.

IX. THE GRIZZLED CAPUCHIN. CEBUS ANNELLATUS.

Cebus annellatus, Gray, P. Z. S., 1865, p. 827, fig. 3; id. Cat. Monkeys Brit. Mus., p. 51.

CHARACTERS.--Hair of crown long and erect, forming a central conical crest. Fur brown, reddish-washed, especially on the thighs, the hairs with several pale rings; a streak on the sides of the neck bent down on the front of the shoulders, yellow; belly reddish; crown, temples, whiskers, outer and inner side of the limbs and tail, black; hair of face deep black; crown-spot broad, with a broad line to the forehead and another, on each side, to the whiskers.

DISTRIBUTION.--Brazil.

X. THE WHITE-FRONTED CAPUCHIN. CEBUS ALBIFRONS.

Simia albifrons, Humb., Obs. Zool., p. 323 (1811).

Cebus chrysopes (Le Sajou à pieds dorés), Fr. Cuv., Hist. Nat. Mammif., pl. 51 (part.).

Cebus albifrons, Is. Geoffr., Ann. Mus., xix., p. 111 (1812); Gray, Cat. Monkeys Brit. Mus., p. 50 (1870); Schl., Mus. Pays Bas, vii., p. 195 (1876, part.)

Cebus leucocephalus, Gray, t. c. p. 50.

Cebus versicolor, Pucher., Rev. Zool., 1845, p. 335 (part).

{214}CHARACTERS.--Head large in proportion to the body. Hair of crown short, reflexed, without crest or "horns." Tail with rather long hair. Face, forehead, throat, shoulders, and crest white. General colour of body light or reddish-brown; back and outer side of the limbs, brownish-red.

DISTRIBUTION.--Generally distributed through the forests of the level country of the Upper Amazon.

HABITS.--The Caiarara, as the Tupi Indians name this species, lives in troops in the forests and feeds on fruits. Mr. Bates, who kept one in captivity for a considerable period during his stay in the Upper Amazon region, describes it as "a most restless creature, but not playful like most of the American Monkeys; the restlessness of its disposition seeming to arise from great nervous irritability and discontent. The anxious, painful, and changeable expression of its countenance, and the want of purpose in its movements, betray this. Its actions are like those of a wayward child; it does not seem happy even when it has plenty of its favourite food, bananas; but will leave its own meal to snatch the morsels out of the hands of its companions. It differs in these mental traits from its nearest kindred, for another common Cebus, found in the same parts of the forest, the Prego Monkey (C. cirrifer), is a much quieter and better tempered animal.... The Caiarara [called Ouavapavi, by Humboldt] is always making some noise or other, often screwing up its mouth and uttering a succession of loud notes resembling a whistle." It is the most wonderful leaper of the whole tribe. Mr. Bates has also recorded:--"The troops consist of thirty or more individuals which travel in single file. When the foremost of the flock reaches the outermost branch of an unusually lofty tree he springs forth {215}into the air without a moment's hesitation and alights on the dome of yielding foliage belonging to the neighbouring tree, maybe fifty feet beneath; all the rest following the example. They grasp, on falling, with hands and tail, right themselves in a moment, and then away they go along branch and bough to the next tree." Mr. Belt also mentions having kept a White-fronted Capuchin in captivity for a long time. Its actions, he tells us, were very human-like. "He had quite an extensive vocabulary of sounds, varying from a gruff bark to a shrill whistle; and we could tell by them, without seeing him, when it was he was hungry, eating, frightened, or menacing; doubtless one of his own species would have understood various minor shades of intonation and expression that we, not entering into his feelings and wants, passed over as unintelligible."

XI. THE WEEPER CAPUCHIN. CEBUS CAPUCINUS.

Simia capucina, Linn., Syst. Nat., i., p. 42 (1766).

Cebus capucinus, Geoffr., Ann. Mus., xix., p. 111 (1812); Gray, Cat. Monkeys Brit. Mus., p. 49 (1870); Schl., Mus. Pays Bas, vii., p. 19 (1876).

Cebus nigrovittatus, Wagner, Acad. Münch., v., p. 430 (1847, ex Natt. MSS.).

Cebus olivaceus, Schomb., Reis. Brit. Guiana, ii., p. 246, et iii., p. 770 (1848).

Cebus castaneus, Is. Geoffr., Cat. Méth. Primates, p. 46 (1851).

Cebus versicolor, Pucher., Rev. et Mag. Zool., 1857, p. 346 (part).

CHARACTERS.--Hairs of crown short, reflexed, but not elevated into a crest. Fur brown, washed with yellow; crown-spot dark brown, narrow, prolonged down the nose, and expanded {216}backward on to the nape of the neck; sides of face, throat, chest, and front part of shoulders, greyish-yellow.

DISTRIBUTION.--Widely distributed in the great forests from Paraguay to the United States of Colombia.

HABITS.--This Capuchin wanders about among the high forest trees in small companies of from ten to a dozen, the larger number being females. It is very timid, and keeps well out of sight, so that it is difficult to watch its habits. Rengger, in his "Säugethiere von Paraguay," had more than once an excellent opportunity of observing these interesting Monkeys, and has given a capital account of them. He specially mentions the great affection the mother has for her offspring. "The mother's love," he says, "shows itself by the great care with which every old one handles her young, by laying them on the breast, by watching them, by searching their fur, and by the attacks they make on any intruder." In January the female gives birth to a single young one, and keeps it at her breast for the first week; later on she carries it partly on her back, partly under her arm. When sleeping the Weeping Çai curls itself up, covering its face with its arms and tail.

The leader of a troop shares his feelings with the others by various motions, and by giving utterance to certain noises, which are taken up by the others. Their feelings are also exhibited by a kind of laughing and crying. Rengger kept some of these Monkeys for several years in captivity in their own country, and says that, when happy, they uttered a peculiar tittering sound; they express agreeable sensations by drawing back the corners of the mouth without uttering any sound; this he supposed to be laughing, but, as Mr. Darwin remarks, it would be more appropriately called a smile. When {217}crying, their eyes fill with tears, but never flow down the cheeks. When in pain or terror, the form of the mouth, as observed by Mr. Darwin at the Zoological Gardens in London, is quite different from that expressing pleasure or satisfaction; and high shrieks are uttered.

Specimens of this species have been kept in captivity in Europe for six and seven years.

XII. THE THICK-FURRED CAPUCHIN. CEBUS VELLEROSUS.

Cebus vellerosus, Is. Geoffr., Cat. Méth. Primates, p. 44 (1851, part.); Gray, Cat. Monkeys Brit. Mus., p. 49 (1870).