Sharp County record., 1883-09-13
THE DIANA MONKEY.

This native of Western Africa inhab-
its the woods of the Guinea Coast, and
of the banks of the Congo, and it is
found in the island Of Fernando PO. 1t
was known to European naturalistS be-
fore the year 100, and it has always
been priced for its pretty fur and gay
temper. The goddess Diana has been
honored by being associated with this
monkey, on account of a crescent
shaped white band Of long hair stretch
ing across the forehead (she being god
deSS of the crescent-Shaped mOon). 1t
is about eighteen inches long when full
grown, the tail is longer than the body,
and the fur is very pretty. The cres-
cent of white hairs has dark edges, and
the top of the head is broad and dull
gray, spotted with green; the ears are
dark and the face also; the beard and
whiSkers are white, and the first of these
projects like goats. As another
monkey from the same region has a
white band across the forehead, the
Diana has been con5ounded with it.
Even F. Cuvier jumbled the Diana and
the Diadem monkey together. Very
little is known about them in their wild
state, and in captivity they show very
adverse dispositions. Sometimes they
are gay and full of fun, and at others
they are morose and Snappish. We
once saw one in its cage in the ZoOlOg-
ical Gardens pull its mate, small
Sykes monkey, from the top to the bot
tom. by well-directed pull of its tail,
and the proceeding reminded one of a
very energetic mistress, whose servants
were inattentive, tugging at bell-rope.
The pulleu was chattering and grimac-
ing at his visitors all the time that the
pulled was hanging on to everything
that came in its way during its forced
descent; and when It came TO the bot
tom, it scrambled about and rushed up
70 its little house again, as if it were
frequent and unwilling exercise. The
Diana also stole its companion food,
such as a piece of apple, by putting her
arms around its neck. and squeezing the
mOrsel against its nose, so that it was
obliged to drop it.
Mrs. Bowditch, in describing her voy-
age from Western Africa, gives an in
teresting account Of Diana monkey
which was on board. "We made ac-
quaintance,' she says, every suddenly,
and to me disagreeably, for | had not
till then conquered the foolish aversion
with which these animals always in
spired me. 1t was a dead calm, the
wheel was lashed, and all save myself
below, nothing around us but sea and
sky, and l had sheltered myself with a
book in a corner protected from the
equatorial sun. Suddenly, and without
noise, something leaped upon my shOul-
ders, and the tail which encircled my
throat convinced me that Mr.. Jack was
nv assailant. My first impulse was to
beat him of. in which case | should
have received some injury,
but fortunately l sat perfectly still, and
twisting himself around, he brought his
face to mine, and stared at me, en-
deavoring to speak kindly to him, upon (
which he grinned and chattered, seat
ed himself on my knees, and carefully
examined nv hands. He then tried to
pull off my rings, and was proceeding
to a bite for this purpose, when | gave T.
him some biscuit which happened to be I
beside me, and making bed for him |
with handkerchief, he settled himself /
comfortably to sleep, and from that
we were sworn allies.
The amusement furnished to me and |
others by Jack made him tolerated /.
when his mischievous propensities would |
otherwise have condemned him to per- |
petual confinement. He was often /.
banished to an empty hen-coop, but as |
this made no impression upon him, | 1
always tried to prevent it, which he /
knew so well, that when he had done |
wrong he either hid himself or sought
refuge near me. Much more effect was
produced by taking him in sight of the I
panther, who always seemed most will /
NO to devour him. On these occasions !
held him by the tail, in front of the
,age. but long before | reached it, /
where he was going, be pre-
ended to be dead his eyes were closed .
lutte fast. and every limb was as stiff
IS if there were no life in him. When
aiken away he would open one eye a
little to see Whereabouts he might be,
but if he caught glimpse of the cage,
Il was instantly closed and he became (
Is stiff as before. He clambered into !
the hammocks, stole the mems knives,
tools, handkerchiefs, and even the
of their heads, all of which
went into the sea. When biscuits were
.O9StinU between the bars of the CO.