[Illustration: GREEN GUENON.]
{59}CHARACTERS.--Muzzle rather long; ears large, naked, and somewhat
pointed behind; hairs on the side of the head long, thick, frill-like, and
directed backwards toward the ears; hands and feet long, but the feet
longer than the hands. Face, ears, palms, and soles, black; superciliary
band bright yellow or white; head, back, shoulders, arms, and upper part of
the forearms, the thighs, upper part of the legs, and upper side of the
tail rich yellowish-green,--the hairs being ringed with broader bars of
yellow, and narrower bars of black; external surface of the lower part of
the fore- and hind-limbs grey, the hairs being ringed with white, or very
pale yellow and black; cheeks, throat, under surface of the body, and inner
side of the limbs, white, washed with yellow on the cheeks, throat, and
along the mid-line of the belly. Tail tipped with a long tuft of bright
yellow; under side of the tail greyish-green; hairs beneath the tail and on
the scrotal region bright yellow; naked skin of the scrotal parts, green.
Length of body, 24 inches; of tail, 29 inches.
DISTRIBUTION.--West Africa: from Senegambia to the Niger. It is said to be
now abundant in a wild state in the island of St. Kitts, in the West
Indies, and Colonel Feilden identified it in Barbadoes. Into both of these
islands it has been introduced from Africa, in the same way as into St.
Jago, one of the Cape Verde Islands.
HABITS.--The Green Monkeys frequent high trees in the great forests, living
in small troops or sitting alone. They move about very noiselessly, and
would seem to be devoid of voice, remaining silent even when attacked or
wounded; although they knit their brows, gnash their teeth, and evince
every sign of vexation and anger. This species is one of the commonest
Monkeys introduced into Europe, as it appears to be able to stand, better
than most of the other members of the genus, the northern climate. It has
even bred in the Zoological {60}Gardens in London. It is very active and
intelligent, and when young it is gentle and of a good disposition, but as
it grows older it becomes treacherous, malicious, and savage.