_Simia nictitans_, Linn., Syst. Nat., i., p. 40 (1766).
_Cercopithecus nictitans_, Erxl., Syst. Règne Anim., p. 35 (1777);
Martin, Mammif. An., p. 536 (1841); Wagner, in Schreber's Säugeth.
Suppl., v., p. 50 (1855); Gray, P. Z. S., 1868, p. 182; id., Cat. Monkeys
Brit. Mus., p. 21 (1870); Schl., Mus. Pays-Bas, vii., p. 89 (1876); Scl.,
P. Z. S., 1893, p. 246.
_Cercopithecus nictitans_ (Hocheur), F. Cuvier, Hist. Nat., Mamm. i., pl.
17 (1825); Audebert, Hist. Nat. des Singes, Fam. iv., Sect. i., p. 9, pl.
2.
CHARACTERS.--Head round; forehead elevated; face depressed; nose broad,
short-haired. "Hair of the head very full; boldly over-reaching the eyes,
obscuring the ears, and adding to the breadth and elevation of the top of
the head." (_Martin._) Nose-spot narrow above, commencing between the eyes,
broad below; the lips and a broad ring round the eyes, nude, or very
short-haired, elsewhere haired; whiskers bushy; callosities covered with
hair; thumbs very short; muzzle shorter than is {52}usually the case in the
genus; no beard; tail long, thinly-haired, tapering.
General colour all over, black, speckled with white or yellowish, the hairs
being grey at their roots, then black, tipped with white or
yellowish-white; face purplish-black; nose-spot pure white; no white on the
lips; ears black; no black stripes on the face, a character distinguishing
it from all the other spotted-nosed Monkeys; under surface of body and
basal part of tail blackish-grey, the inside of the limbs less distinctly
so.
Some specimens are not so black, but are greyer, especially on the under
side, which may be washed with brown.
The white colour of the nose not extending on to the upper lip
distinguishes this species from _C. petaurista_, independently of the
general colouring.
DISTRIBUTION.--West Africa. Although the "Hocheur" is not uncommon in
European menageries, it is still uncertain in exactly what part of that
extensive region it has its home.
HABITS.--Nothing is known of the habits of this species, except what has
been observed from examples living in captivity. In durance the species is
mild and gentle in disposition, and very active, and has a way of
incessantly shaking its head, a habit from which it derives its French
appellation of "Hocheur."