The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-02-09
NUMBER 8.


A large baboon was confined alone in
cage, having q sleeping place in the
form of kind OF hut in the center of
the cage. Near the hut was tree, the
main branch OF which rose over the top
of the hut, and then came forward
away from it. The hut door swung
beneath this part of the branch, but it
always slOung to each time the monkey
opened it to mount upon Its top edge.
After one or two efforts to mount by it
in spite Of its immediate swinging to,
the baboon procured thick blanket
which lay in the cage, and threw it over
the door, having opened the same, so
that its complete closing was sufficiently
prevented to enable it to mount upon
the free edge of the door, and 80 gain
that part Of the branch which ran above
it, Professor Rengger, on feeding his
monkeys at Paraguay, with eggs, OBJ
served that at first they smashed them,
and then wasted much of their contents,
but they soon learnt to hit one end
against some hard body, and pick off
the bits with their paws; and If they
cut themselves once with any sharp
tool, they would either not touch it
again or handle it with the greatest
caution Lumps of sugar were given
them wrapped up in paper, and some
times a 1--we wasp was put into the paper
to try them, so that in hastily unfolding
it they got stung, but after this had
once occurred, they always held the
packet to their ears to detect any move
ment within. Professor @. Robertson
witnessed the following action some
years ago in the Jardin des Plantes. A
large ape in an IRON cage was lording
it over some smaller monkeys, Ferns
and other things had been thrown be-
tween the bars, which The ape quickly
attempted to seize. At length small
hand looking-glass with strong wooden
frame was thrown in; the ape got hold
of it and began tc brandish it like
hammer, wheu suddenly he was arrested
by the reflection of himself in the
glass. After looking puzzled for
moment, he darted his head behind the
glass to find the other ape, which he
evidently supposed to be there. Fnd-
ing nothing, he apparently thought
that he had not been quick enough in
his movements. So he raised and drew
the glass nearer to him with great cau-
tion, and then, with a swifter dart,
looked behind, and again finding moth
ing, he made the attempt once more,
He now grew very angry and began to
beat the frame violently on the floor of
the cage. Soon the glsss was shatteied,
and pieces fell out. Again he was ar
rested by his own image in the piece of
glass still remaining in the frame, and
he resolved to make another trial,
More carefully than ever he began, and
more rapidly than ever was the final
dart made. But his fury over this last
failure knew no bounds, and he
crunched the frame and glass together
with his teeth till nothing but splinters
remained.
The jealousy OF monkeys is easily
excited, and indeed knows no bounds if
they imagine that rival is getting
more attention than themselves. A few
years ago, at one of Wombwell's collec-
tions. lively monkey succeeded in
monopoiMing no small attention. Sud-
denly he saw, with indignation, that
most of the visitors had turned their
attentions to the next cage. This, of
course, excited both his jealousy and
his curiosity, and he exercised all his
endeavors to discover the cause of his
desertion. at length he contrived to
poke out knot In the board which
dividod their partition, and on looking
through, discovered that the inhabitants
of tho adjoining cage had lately been
increased by baby, That unfortunate
baby-monkey instantly became the OBJ
iect Of his unremitting persecution.
He watched 1t through his knot-hole;
then he put his hand round the corner,
and tried to pinch the poor little ami
NAL; he picked the keepers pocket of
the food that ought to have gone to the
rival. The mother all this time was
perfectly acquainted with the evil de-
signs of her neighbor, and carefully
kept her infant away from the danger
ous corner where the monkeys hand
was continually intrudlng itself, In a
short time the little one began to go
about by itself, and its enemy redoubIed
his exertions. AT last the moment of
revenge arrived; one day he was seen
paying more attention than usual to his
peep-hole, and after long watching he
began that peculiar vibrating move
ment which generally prefaces monk
ey's mischief. Suddenly, he withdrew
his eye from the hole, thrust his hand
through like lightning, and withdrew it
bringing with it the tail of the poor
little monkey to his own side of the
partition. Fixing his feet firmly on
each side of the knot-hole, he tugged
away at his rivals tail, alternately
screaming with delight or chattering
with fear at the punishment which he
knew would follow. The baby monkey.
on being seized, set up heart-rending
scream, on hearing which its mother
flew to its assistance, and, seeing her
offspring apparently fastened to the
wall, took it by its arms and pulled with
all her might in order to release it. The
culprit chartered, the mother shouted,
and the baby screamed, until the outcry
brought the keeper, at sight of whom
the aggressor loosed his hold of his
victims Tail and crouched into the
farthest corner of the cage, where he
showed much ingenuity In avoiding the
cuts of the keepers whip.