The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-12-04
MoNKElINa MirA MAronNs.

contains no more attractive depart ment for juvenile visitors, and some older ones as we'll, than the monkey house, and the queer antics and never ending activity of the bright little creatures have always an interested group of spectators, Many of these spectators, and the boys in particular are not always content to simply watch, but will from time to time push various things through the bars and nettings, in hopes of thereby causing some new antic or monkey trick to the delight of themselves and others. Such conduct is, of course, contrary to the rules, but if keeper is not near at hand there is always some one who will show it. Sticks, stones, fruit, can- dy, nuts, tobacco and similar small things are among those frequently in- serted in the cages.
 By reason of the fact that almost ev- cry man carries matches, these are among the things most commonly off, fered. Of course, a match would be thing most objectionable for @ monkey to have, by reason of the liability of fire.
 The monkeys are always on the look out for something sweet to eat. Any thing offered them goes almost directly into their mouths. If they do not find l it palatable, their next manoeuvre is | to break it or scratch it on the bars or | floor of the cage or on the water kettle. By reason of this tendency many matches have been lighted by the mon- keys, and the boys were not long in discovering that one of the animals | possessed a greater faculty than his | fellows for lighting matches. Indeed, | he became so expert about 1t as to at- | tract the attention of Professor F. D, Cope, who witnessed his trick, and has, l therefore, been watched and eXperi mented upon in this line to quite an extent.
 The animal is a Cebus appella, a na- | tive of South America, and from the readiness with which this species learn to do little tricks is the monkey commonly used by hand organ grinders l to collect pennies. The result of these experiments caused the insertion of a paragraph in the American Naturalist, stating the animals ability with matches, and a reporter visited the Gardens to witness the act for himself.
 Jacko has "tumbled" to the fact that a match is a match, and proceeds ac- cordingly. When one is given him he can determine which end has the full minate; he seems to do this by sight but, like child always on the lookout for something sweet, gives an article the test of putting 1t in its mouth, as the taste is more acute in children than sight or feeling. Jacko generally ends by putting the illuminate in his mouth, | if he has not done so at first.
 He is so accurate in determining the illuminate that failure is very rare in deed. Then. seizing the match near the head, he draws 1t quickly across the rough side of the water kettle and the trick is done. He always takes the match at the proper distance from the head to avoid breakage. As soon as the match is lighted all his interests is at an end and he drops it immediately. This total indifference as to the desti- nation of the lighted match is what the authorities of the ''zoo" object to, and Jacko will shortly find himself in a new location Tn consequences.
 The Cebus sometimes fails to ignite the match in his first or even second attempt by reason of having held it in his mouth so long as to dampen the illuminate; In such case he gives 1t care- fu1 scrutiny and deep thought. If he cannot light the match then, he seems to consider it as bogus, breaks it over the edge of the kettle or on a bar of the cage, and speedily proceeds to pursue some other characteristic activity of his daily life. Once in a while he fails to select a rough surface for the first trial, and therefore fails in the at- tempt; he seems to have learned to try, try again, however, and is usually more successful next time.
 Superintendent Brown says that since Jacko's expertness in lighting matches has become public, it will be necessary to remove him from his pres ent quarters, for fear that sooner or later he will set fire to the building and cause it's destruction, together with himself and fellows. Besides the little fellow shows so much initiative powers that he desires to further test his capa- bilities, and believes that he may be able to teach him to smoke a pipe. Owing to their apparent superior intel ligence, Superintendent Brown has al- ways taken a great amount of interest in observing the actions of the mem- bers of the Cebus family, and relates many interesting incidents of them. One in particular is that of a monkey owned by an organ grinder; the animal had come to know its business so well that it was not restrained by cord or chain, and collected pennies wherever it thought 1t could get them. An ex- pertinent was made of giving him a small tin cup, and that intelligent sim ian at once proceeded to ''pass the plate" around among his brethren, but got peanut shells only.
 MT. Brown says that this monkey would climb into a window of the Phil adelphia club on Walnut street, go from one room to another to the back of the building, carrying tin cup and soliciting pennies from all present On his return to the front of the building from this trip, he rarely endeavored tQ collect money; if ever chiefly from those who were noticing and watching him. He then passed out through the window, climbed down the water pipe and went away with his master, to re- appear and repeat the business visit at | SoDoo future dav