[Illustration: WEEPING MONKEYS.]
The Weeping Monkeys are smaller, but not so slim as the Spider Monkeys.
They live in the forests of Guinea and Brazil, and flock together in
great troops. They will eat snails and small Birds when they can get
them, but their principal food is the abundance of fruits found among
the trees where they make their home.
They generally keep on the topmost branches of the highest trees to keep
out of the way of the Serpents, of which they are very much afraid. Even
when tamed and brought to this country, the sight of the most harmless
Snake will fill them with terror.
These Monkeys are called weepers from their plaintive cry. Usually their
voice is soft; when excited or angry it becomes loud and pitiful; when
teased it keeps up a kind of plaintive wailing, which has given it its
name of Weeping Monkey, although they have also been called Musk Monkeys
at times, because of their musky odor.
These Monkeys have short round heads with the skull projecting
backwards, and many of them have their faces bordered with long hair;
others have long hair on top of the head, and in one species, called the
Horned Monkey, this hair forms two black tufts, having the appearance of
horns.
All the Weeping Monkeys are gentle and easily tamed, and perform many
amusing tricks, such as firing off a gun, and sweeping with a small
broom. They will break a nut between two stones when it is too strong to
be cracked with their teeth, and show many signs of unusual
intelligence.