. Animals in menageries. sessing those appendages usually denominated horns,but from two tufts of hairs which bear that resem-blance, and which rise immediately above the ears. Thehairs of the forehead, in fact, instead of being directed WIDOW MONKEY. 25 backwards, as is usual inallanimals, rise vertically,and thus forms what terms a bandeau;and at each extremityarises one of the above-mentioned tufts of hairs,which are much longerthan the rest. In theseason of winter, whenthe fur of the animal islongest, these tufts be-come very prominent;but they do not appear in the young animal, u
. Animals in menageries. sessing those appendages usually denominated horns,but from two tufts of hairs which bear that resem-blance, and which rise immediately above the ears. Thehairs of the forehead, in fact, instead of being directed WIDOW MONKEY. 25 backwards, as is usual inallanimals, rise vertically,and thus forms what terms a bandeau;and at each extremityarises one of the above-mentioned tufts of hairs,which are much longerthan the rest. In theseason of winter, whenthe fur of the animal islongest, these tufts be-come very prominent;but they do not appear in the young animal, until it hascut the canine teeth. In confinement, this species issaid to be mild and affectionate. The exact size has not been stated, but it is ratherabove the middle-sized monkeys. The prevalent colouris a very dark brown, nearly black on the head andlimbs, and somewhat lighter on the shoulders; thecheeks are surrounded by a narrow line of white hairs,which meet at the chin; the face, and all the nakedparts, are The Widow Monkey. Callithrix lugens, Geoff. This rare and pretty little animal has been compared,and not unaptly, to a diminutive black dog with a whiteface. Its whole colour, in fact, is of a uniform shiningblackness, with the exception of the face, neck, andarms, which are dull white; the former being sur-rounded with a narrow band of pure white. This re-markable disposition of colour has obtained for it, fromthe Creoles, the fanciful name of the Widow monkey;the whiteness of the face, neck, and arms being com-pared to the veil, handkerchief, and gloves worn inits native country by widows. It is described as par-ticularly gentle and timid, except when a small bird. 26 ANIMALS IN MENAGERIES. its natural food, is placed in its sight; it then becomesanimated and eager, darts at it like a rat, and devours itin an instant: at other times it will remain motionlessfor hours, attentively watching whatever is going seems, however, to have a particular aversion
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Keywords: ., bookauthorrichmondch, bookcentury1800, booksubjectanimalbehavior
