_Simia capucina_, Linn., Syst. Nat., i., p. 42 (1766).
_Cebus capucinus_, Geoffr., Ann. Mus., xix., p. 111 (1812); Gray, Cat.
Monkeys Brit. Mus., p. 49 (1870); Schl., Mus. Pays Bas, vii., p. 19
(1876).
_Cebus nigrovittatus_, Wagner, Acad. Münch., v., p. 430 (1847, ex Natt.
MSS.).
_Cebus olivaceus_, Schomb., Reis. Brit. Guiana, ii., p. 246, et iii., p.
770 (1848).
_Cebus castaneus_, Is. Geoffr., Cat. Méth. Primates, p. 46 (1851).
_Cebus versicolor_, Pucher., Rev. et Mag. Zool., 1857, p. 346 (part).
CHARACTERS.--Hairs of crown short, reflexed, but not elevated into a crest.
Fur brown, washed with yellow; crown-spot dark brown, narrow, prolonged
down the nose, and expanded {216}backward on to the nape of the neck; sides
of face, throat, chest, and front part of shoulders, greyish-yellow.
DISTRIBUTION.--Widely distributed in the great forests from Paraguay to the
United States of Colombia.
HABITS.--This Capuchin wanders about among the high forest trees in small
companies of from ten to a dozen, the larger number being females. It is
very timid, and keeps well out of sight, so that it is difficult to watch
its habits. Rengger, in his "Säugethiere von Paraguay," had more than once
an excellent opportunity of observing these interesting Monkeys, and has
given a capital account of them. He specially mentions the great affection
the mother has for her offspring. "The mother's love," he says, "shows
itself by the great care with which every old one handles her young, by
laying them on the breast, by watching them, by searching their fur, and by
the attacks they make on any intruder." In January the female gives birth
to a single young one, and keeps it at her breast for the first week; later
on she carries it partly on her back, partly under her arm. When sleeping
the Weeping Çai curls itself up, covering its face with its arms and tail.
The leader of a troop shares his feelings with the others by various
motions, and by giving utterance to certain noises, which are taken up by
the others. Their feelings are also exhibited by a kind of laughing and
crying. Rengger kept some of these Monkeys for several years in captivity
in their own country, and says that, when happy, they uttered a peculiar
tittering sound; they express agreeable sensations by drawing back the
corners of the mouth without uttering any sound; this he supposed to be
laughing, but, as Mr. Darwin remarks, it would be more appropriately called
a smile. When {217}crying, their eyes fill with tears, but never flow down
the cheeks. When in pain or terror, the form of the mouth, as observed by
Mr. Darwin at the Zoological Gardens in London, is quite different from
that expressing pleasure or satisfaction; and high shrieks are uttered.
Specimens of this species have been kept in captivity in Europe for six and
seven years.