The Monkeys belonging to the family of Howlers are remarkable on account
of the formation of their throat, which causes their voice to be hoarse
and loud and very disagreeable. Although they are scarcely two feet in
height, these Monkeys have the most powerful voice of any known animal.
When gathered in troops they make the great forests re-echo with their
tumult, which carries terror even to the bravest man when heard for the
first time. Travelers compare this noise to the creaking of a great
multitude of carts whose wheels and axle-trees need greasing; and with
all this creaking and grinding noise there is a sound like the rolling
of a drum.
Every day, morning and evening, the Howlers assemble in the forests, and
one of their number, taking his station upon a lofty tree, makes a sign
with his hands, as though inviting the others to sit around him. He then
begins a sort of discourse, in a voice so loud and harsh that any one
might suppose that they were all screaming together, although one only
is thus employed; when this one leaves off, he gives a signal to the
others, who immediately set up a cry in full chorus, until their leader
commands silence, and is instantly obeyed. The first speaker, or rather
howler, then begins again, and it is only after several repetitions of
this that they cease from their discordant yellings.
These Monkeys live in large troops and only frequent the highest trees,
from which they rarely come down. They leap from branch to branch with
wonderful agility, and, contrary to the habits of most Quadrumana, seem
to prefer those parts of the forests which are in the vicinity of rivers
or swamps. They live almost entirely upon the fruits and foliage of the
trees around them, and are said occasionally to catch and eat insects.
The whole race is remarkably sullen, lazy, heavy and of disagreeable
nature; they are tamed with difficulty. And it is not often that this is
attempted, for even if they were good-natured and intelligent, they
would not make desirable pets on account of their voice.