THE MARMOSETS AND TAMARINS.[107]
The Dentition of the Genus Hapale, or the Marmosets, or
Ouistitis--The Face--The Paw-like Hands and Feet--Their Claws--The
Skull and Brain, and the Nature of the Diet--THE COMMON
MARMOSET--Its Habits--THE CLOAKED MARMOSET--THE GENUS MIDAS--THE
TAMARINS--Their Dentition--THE NEGRO TAMARIN--Its Habits--MIDAS
ARGENTATUM--DEVILLE’S MIDAS--THE SILKY TAMARIN--Notes on the
Arctopithecini in general.
The second division of the Monkeys of the New World is characterised
by there bring thirty-two teeth, and the tail is not prehensile. It is
generally termed that of the Marmosets, or in scientific language, the
Arctopithecini, a word which means Bear-Monkey. There are two genera
in this division: the first is that of the Marmosets proper, or genus
Hapale; and the second is that of the Tamarins, or genus Midas.
THE MARMOSETS, OR OUISTITIS.[108]
In this genus the thirty-two teeth are so arranged that instead of
there being three back teeth, or true molars, on the side of each
jaw, they have only two. But there are false molars placed in front
of these two crushing molars, and this has a direct relation to the
insectivorous diet of the animal. The outer edge of these false molars
has one sharp point, admirably adapted to pierce a hard-coated Beetle,
or to smash up a grub. The incisor, or front teeth, differ in the two
genera. They are long (especially the lower ones), narrow, and are
curved outwards, and they stick out forwards from the jaw in the genus
Hapale. Those of the Tamarins are short and broad, the lower ones being
stuck out and close together. The lower canine teeth of the Hapale, or
Ouistitis, are very small, and those of the other genus are larger.
The face of the Marmoset is short, and the broad division between the
nostrils, which open widely apart and outwards, is very evident. Very
remarkable are the feet, for in these Monkeys the toe-thumb is not
widely separated from the other digits, but is close to and parallel
with them, so that they resemble the human foot more than the human
hand. The insectivorous and carnivorous propensities of these little
creatures are shown in the form of their nails, which are claws. They
are curved, compressed from side to side, and sharp, except that of
the great toe, which is broad. In the hand the thumb is not capable of
being separated widely from the other fingers, and it has a sharp claw
on it, so the resemblance to a true hand is small, and the likeness to
a “paw” is great; and to conclude this part of the subject, the soles
are much longer than the toes. Hence, with paws and long feet with
claws, these little creatures, which have been termed Hapale--from
ἁπαλός (soft, gentle)--are not unlike Bears in their extremities, and
have been called Bear-Monkeys, or _Arctopithecini_. The intelligence
of these Monkeys is certainly not very great, hence the examination of
their brain is sure to be interesting, for one would expect that it
could not be like that of the intelligent Cebus, or even that of the
Spider Monkey. The mouth appears to be large, and it really has a wide
gape.
[Illustration: 1. HAND-BONES OF MARMOSET.
2. FOOT-BONES OF MARMOSET.]
First, then, the skull is remarkable for the relative size of the
brain-case, and the back part projects far behind. The outside of the
skull is smooth and rounded, and the brow-ridges are very slight, the
orbits being large. Inside, and accommodating itself to this long head,
is a very long brain, whose back part projects past the cerebellum.
But this is not all the unusual part of it, for instead of there
being convolutions, or packings-in of the surface of the brain, it
is almost smooth, the great fissures being alone marked. Here, then,
is the lowest form of brain yet noticed in the Quadrumana, and it
approaches to the form seen in the lower animals. What the great back
part of the brain-case means is hardly yet known, but if it refers to
the affections it will render the story told by Broderip all the more
valuable. He says that a lady kept two of these Marmosets, and that she
was impressed with their great affection for each other. “They had no
family, but they were very happy, and were all in all to each other.
One of them unfortunately died. The other seemed to be unwilling to
believe the change that had taken place, and continued to caress the
body, until it became absolutely necessary to remove it. Everything
was done to console the widow that its fond and distressed mistress
could think of, but as soon as its mate was taken away the poor widowed
creature pressed its little hands to its eyes, refused to be comforted,
and remained pining in that attitude till death relieved it of its
sufferings.”
The teeth and claws indicate a carnivorous or insectivorous diet in
these Monkeys, and the brain does not deny it, and many anecdotes
may be told of their love of something alive. Every one may see the
Marmosets at the Zoological Gardens making usually very successful
dashes at flies with their fingers, and enjoying their tiny prey; and
there is little doubt that the following story is true:--One of them,
which was kept by the “Sage Femme” of the Royal Family about a hundred
years since, took a great fancy to fish, and made a dash at a Goldfish
he saw swimming round and round in its globe. He caught it, and ate it,
so the lady observing his fondness for something lively gave him an
Eel, and as the little Monkey was not more than eight or nine inches in
length without his tail, this lively gift frightened him at first by
twisting round his body and neck; but he soon killed it, and enjoyed
the treat.
THE COMMON MARMOSET.[109]
These little, gentle, pretty creatures, usually so readily tamed, are
made great pets of, and attract much attention in all collections of
animals, and one kind has been often brought from the tropical woods of
the Brazils and kept in England, so that its habits during captivity
have been watched from birth until death in adult age. Many years
since F. Cuvier had some of the common Marmosets born whilst under his
care, and he watched them and their parents well. The young ones had
their eyes open on coming into the world, and their skins were covered
with very smooth hair of a deep grey colour, but which was scarcely
perceptible on the tail. They instantly crept into their mother’s
nice warm fur, and clung on with their little hands and feet, and
they attracted the intense admiration and curiosity of the father and
mother, who were in the same cage. There were three little ones, and
the mother indeed did not know what to do with them. Broderip suggests
that what followed was because the lady Ouistiti had no experienced
female friend to direct her in her first confinement. At any rate,
the mother seized the first by the head, and proceeded to bite this
important part of the body off, and, luckily for the other two, whilst
she was thus finishing off her offspring, they managed to get to her
breasts, and to begin to suck. From that moment she bestowed upon
them the natural attention of a parent, and became all affection. The
father was even more affectionate than the mother, and assisted most
assiduously in the nursing department. The favourite position of the
young ones was upon the back and bosom of the mother, and when she
was tired of nursing she would come up to her mate with a shrill cry,
which Broderip writes said as plainly as any one could speak, “Here,
do take the children!” He immediately stretched forth his hands, and
placed the little ones on his back, or under his body, where they held
on whilst he carried them about, and amused them. At last they used
to get hungry, and whined for their mother, who took them, and after
having nursed them returned them to their “papa.” In fact, the father
did all the hard work, and the mother merely fed them. In this instance
this domestic happiness was cut short, for the mother was weakly, no
wet-nurse was to be had, and the little ones sank and died. In their
native state they lead an arboreal life, and assemble in groups of
six or seven, climbing up the tallest trees, and jumping from bough
to bough, showing the greatest activity, like and greater than that
of Squirrels. So rapidly do they move from branch to branch, and from
tree to tree, that the eye fails to follow them readily. They are
recognised at once by their long tuft of whitish hair, which sticks out
from the side of the head, and almost hides the ears. The size of the
whole animal is about that of a small Squirrel, and the tail is very
long, bushy, and prettily marked with alternate rings of ash-colour
and of black fur. The head is small, the eyes are gentle-looking, and
the nose is flat, the face being black. The fur of the body is darkish
brown, with different shades of colour for each hair, which is dusky at
its root, reddish in the middle, and grey at the tip. There are very
different stories told regarding their intelligence and affection. Some
naturalists assert that they are incapable of affection towards man,
even to the hand that feeds them. Swainson says “it mistrusts all,
and treats as indifferently those whom one would think it well knew
and those who are strangers; neither does it show much intelligence,
although it is attentive, and suspicious of everything that is passing.
When under the influence of fear it strives to conceal itself, uttering
a short but piercing cry; at other times it hisses.” The name Ouistiti
has been given to this Monkey, and the Portuguese of the Amazon
districts called it the Sanglain, whilst Europeans term it a Marmoset.
THE CLOAKED MARMOSET.[110]
The word “humerale” is to be translated a part of the harness on the
shoulders, or a graduate’s cloak, according to an old Latin dictionary,
and thus far a fit name has been given to a little Monkey thus noticed
by Mr. Bates in his work on the Amazons:--
“I saw in the woods on one occasion a small flock of Monkeys. They
belonged to a very pretty and rare species, a kind of Marmoset, I think
the _Hapale humeralifer_ described by Geoffroy St. Hilaire. I did not
succeed in obtaining a specimen, but saw a living example afterwards in
the possession of a shopkeeper, at Santarem. It seems to occur nowhere
else except in the dry woods bordering the campos in the interior
parts of Brazil. The colours of its fur are beautifully varied; the
fore part of the body is white, with the hands grey; the hind part
black, with the rump and underside deadish-tawny; the tail is banded
with grey and black. Its face is partly naked, and flesh-coloured, and
the ears are fringed with long hairs. The specimen was not more than
eight inches in length, exclusive of the tail. Altogether I thought it
the prettiest species of its family I had yet seen. One would mistake
it at first sight for a kitten, from its small size, varied colours,
and the softness of its fur. It was a most timid creature, screaming
and biting when any one attempted to handle it. It became familiar,
however, with the people of the house a few days after it came into
their possession. When hungry or uneasy it uttered a weak, querulous
cry, a shrill note, which was sometimes prolonged so as to resemble the
stridulation of a Grasshopper.”
THE TAMARINS.[111]
The Tamarins have the upper front teeth placed close together; and
the lower, which are broad and truncated, project forwards. The lower
canines are longer and larger than in the Marmosets. Living in the
forests of the Isthmus of Panama, Peru, and of the Brazils, they
sometimes collect in troops. They are very restless, active, and
probably indulge in a very mixed diet of fruit, eggs, insects, and
small birds. The smaller they are the more violent are they in their
gesticulations and rage. They appear, when annoyed, bristling up their
hair in a very fierce manner. They are, however, easily tamed, and are
made great pets of by the natives.
THE NEGRO TAMARIN.[112]
Bates gives some interesting details regarding the little Midas, or
Tamarin Monkeys, which he saw during his long residence on the Amazons.
He writes:--
“They are small in size, and more like Squirrels than true Monkeys in
their manner of climbing. The nails, except those of the hind thumbs,
are long and claw-shaped, like those of Squirrels, and the thumbs
of the fore extremities, or hands, are not opposable to the other
fingers. I do not mean to convey that they have a near relationship to
Squirrels, which belong to the Rodents, an inferior order of Mammals;
their resemblance to those animals is merely a superficial one. The
body is long and slender, clothed with soft hair, and the tail,
which is nearly twice the length of the trunk, is not prehensile.
The hind limbs are much larger in volume than the anterior pair. The
_Midas ursulus_ is never seen in large flocks; three or four is the
greatest number observed together. It seems to be less afraid of the
neighbourhood of man than any other Monkey. I sometimes saw it in
the woods which border the suburban streets, and once I espied two
individuals in a thicket behind the English Consul’s house at Nazareth.
Its mode of progression along the main boughs of the lofty trees is
like that of the Squirrels; it does not ascend to the slender branches,
or take wonderful flying leaps like those Monkeys whose prehensile
tails and flexible hands fit them for such headlong travelling. It
confines itself to the larger boughs and trunks of trees, the long
nails being of great assistance to the creature, enabling it to cling
securely to the bark, and it is often seen passing rapidly round the
perpendicular cylindrical trunks. It is a quick, restless, timid little
creature, and has a great share of curiosity, for when a person passes
by under the trees along which a flock is running, they always stop for
a few moments to have a stare at the intruder. In Para, the _Ursulus_
is often seen in a tame state in the houses of the inhabitants. When
full grown it is about nine inches long, independently of the tail,
which measures fifteen inches. The fur is thick, and black in colour,
with the exception of a reddish-brown streak down the middle of the
back. When first taken, or when kept tied up, it is very timid and
irritable. It will not allow itself to be approached, but keeps
retreating backwards in a querulous humour, uttering a twittering,
complaining noise, its dark, watchful eyes, expressive of distrust,
observant of every movement which takes place near it. When treated
kindly, however, as it generally is in the houses of the natives,
it becomes very tame and familiar. I once saw one as playful as a
kitten, running about the house after the negro children, who fondled
it to their hearts’ content. It acted somewhat differently towards
strangers, and seemed not to like them to sit on the hammock which was
slung in the room, leaping up, trying to bite, and otherwise annoying
them. It is generally fed on sweet fruits, such as the banana,
but it is also fond of insects, especially soft-bodied Spiders and
Grasshoppers, which it will snap up with eagerness when within reach.
The expression of countenance in these small Monkeys is intelligent
and pleasing. This is partly owing to the open facial angle which is
given as one of 60°; but the quick movements of the head, and the way
they have of inclining it on one side when their curiosity is excited,
contribute very much to give them a knowing expression. Anatomists
who have dissected species of Midas tell us that the brain is of a
very low type, from there being few convolutions, the surface being as
smooth as that of a Squirrel’s. I should conclude, at once, that this
character is an unsafe guide in judging on the mental qualities of
these animals. In mobility of expression of countenance, intelligence,
and general manners, these small Monkeys resemble the higher Apes far
more than they do any rodent animal with which I am acquainted. On the
Upper Amazon I once saw a tame individual of the _Midas leoninus_, a
species first described by Humboldt, which was still more playful and
intelligent than the one just described. This rare and beautiful little
Monkey is only seven inches in length, exclusive of the tail. It is
named _leoninus_ on account of the long brown mane which depends from
the neck, and which gives it very much the appearance of a diminutive
Lion. In the house where it was kept it was familiar with every one;
its greatest pleasure seemed to be to climb about the bodies of
different persons who entered. The first time I went in it ran across
the room straightway to the chair on which I sat down, and climbed up
to my shoulder. Arrived there it turned round and looked into my face,
showing its little teeth, and chattering, as though it would say,
‘Well, and how do you do?’ It showed more affection towards its master
than towards strangers, and would climb up to his head a dozen times
in the course of an hour, making a great show every time of searching
there for certain animalculæ. Isidore Geoffroy St. Hilaire relates of a
species of this genus, that it distinguished between different objects
depicted on an engraving. M. Audouin showed it the portraits of a Cat
and a Wasp. At these it became much terrified; whereas, at the sight
of a figure of a Grasshopper or Beetle, it precipitated itself on the
picture, as if to seize the objects there represented.“
MIDAS ARGENTATUM.
Bates is the authority for the following short notice of this pretty
Monkey:--“The little Tamarin is one of the rarest of the American
Monkeys. I have not heard of its being found anywhere except near
Cameta. I once saw three individuals together running along a branch
in a cacao grove near Cameta. They looked like white kittens. In their
motions they resembled precisely the _Midas ursulus_ already described.
I saw afterwards a pet animal of this species, and heard that there
were many so kept, and that they were esteemed as choice treasures.
The one I saw was full-grown, but it measured only seven inches in
length of body. It was covered with long white silky hairs, the tail
was blackish, and the flesh nearly naked and flesh-coloured. It was a
most timid and sensitive little thing. The woman who owned it carried
it constantly in her bosom, and no money would induce her to part with
her pet. She called it ‘Mico.’ It fed from her mouth, and allowed her
to fondle it freely, but the nervous little creature would not permit
strangers to touch it. If any one attempted to do so it shrank back,
the whole body trembling with fear, and its teeth chattered, whilst it
uttered its tremulous frightened tones. The expression of its features
was like that of its more robust brother, the _ursulus_; the eyes,
which were black, were full of curiosity and mistrust, and it always
kept them fixed on the person who attempted to advance towards it.”
DEVILLE’S MIDAS.[113]
[Illustration: DEVILLE’S MIDAS. (From the _Proceedings of the
Zoological Society_.)]
This pretty Monkey is plentiful everywhere on the Peruvian Amazons, but
is extremely delicate in constitution. It will not bear the least cold,
and it is kept with great difficulty. The Indian women make great pets
of them, and put them into the long hair on their heads. They are thus
kept warm, and are not without interesting occupation. Having become
tame they frequently hop out of their odd home and feed, or having
captured a Spider or two, scamper back and hide under the luxuriant
crop of their owners, who are generally unwilling to part with them.
THE SILKY TAMARIN.[114]
This is one of the prettiest of the Tamarins, and has long silky fur
and soft yellow hair. This is arranged like a mane around the neck
and face, near to which its tint is redder than usual, and, to make
a contrast, the face itself, and also the hands and feet, are dark
purple. The beauty of the hair is very striking, and when the sun
shines upon it there is a great display of colour, and a rich gloss
over all. Like all the Tamarins, it has a tail about the same length as
the body, which is not prehensile, but it is in this instance tufted at
the end. The habits are pretty evident when the sharp, claw-like nails
are examined. They are admirably adapted for seizing and killing small
birds and insects, as well as for assisting the hands to hold fruit.
[Illustration: SKULL OF MARMOSET.]
In the Brazilian forests they assemble in small parties, and,
like the other Marmosets, bound from tree to tree, and keep up a
great chattering and whistling, and they cry out with alarm, and
soon disperse on the appearance of man within their usual haunts.
This fondness for being high up in the woods is carried into their
captivity, where they prefer having their little nest up at the top of
the cage. In descending from this favourite spot they usually climb
down backwards, the tail hanging down. They do not try to stand erect,
and, indeed, the position is not natural to them.
They like to be caressed and fondled, but they give no such return, and
they know those who are kind to them. They dislike strangers usually,
and hiss at them. They are very delicate in Europe, as they require a
constant high temperature. Cuvier states that these Monkeys have an air
sac in the throat, resembling in situation that of the Spider Monkey
(_Ateles paniscus_).
The Arctopithecini, as a group, have a smooth and rounded skull, large
orbits, small brow-ridges, and a large brain-case. The skull is large
behind, and the opening for the spinal cord (foramen magnum) is at the
junction of the hind third with the two fore thirds of the length of
the brain. They have numerous vertebræ in their back-bone, and those
in the back and loins number usually nineteen. It is stated by Cuvier
that there is an air sac in the neck of the _Midas ursulus_, which
communicates with the organ of voice through a space between two of its
cartilages. It appears that the hands and feet of the Marmosets have
thumbs and toe-thumbs so slightly separable from the fingers and toes
that the resemblance to “feet” is decided. This is increased by the
fact that the thumbs have claws on them, and the toe-thumb is the only
digit with a flat nail, all the rest having claw-like ones. The thumb
is really not opposable, but nevertheless the muscles are there to give
it movement; the opponens muscle of the thumb is doubtfully present,
but the adductors, abductor, and long and short flexors are all there.
There is much union of the deeper muscles of the fingers, indicating
less independence of movement. In the foot the toe-thumb has no special
abductor, and the transversus pedis is absent.