The National tribune., 1895-08-15

do monkeys throw cocoanuts at anybody. They
are universally greedy set Of rascals, and uni
formy hold fast to all nuts and fruits upon
which they can lay their hands.
Another fallscy concerning the animal is that
relating to its intelligence. However closely it
may resemble man anatomically, it is infinitely
removed from him in intellect. The dog and
the horse are much higher IN the scale Of
knowledge, wisdom. and understanding.
Naturalists ascilbe this fact to the long
domesticatiUu Of The canine aud equine, both
OF which have been mans intimate since the
latter has had place upon earth. But does
this afford explanation? If SO, what Of the
cow, and the sheen. aud the goat, creatures
remarkably low in intelligence. that have also
heeR the companions Of man from time i'm
memorisl2
The plain truth about the monkey ia that il
is playful, initiative TO some extent. may be
aiectionate-s0nIe species are remarkably So
is intensely selfish, aud thief from its birth.
No man has yet been able 10 convey to mon
key any ayrreciAble idea of the ownership Of
property. The best-traiEed animal affects to
regard everything in sight rs its own, if it
coveis The article. This 10 usually docs,
whether the article can be Of any service to it
or not
Monkeys are worshiped in India, and eaten
in South America They are of all sizes. from
the gorilla. which may be larger than a man, to
tue CalllbHllA OF -OuiU WHICH is 10
larger than the squirrel. No Old World mon
key has prehensie tail. and no New World
monkey las cheek pouches.
Not all South American monkeys have pre-
hensile tails, but all have a tail Of some kind,
which is altogether wanting in the higher apes,
and nearly 50 in certain lower species of the
Old World group. Some have most beautiful
and varied colorings and markings, the
guenons, the callithrix, and the marmosets:
l-. hao aa la.v md
one species has prodigiously long nose-the
proboscis monkey.
Those that have no cheek pouches are pro.
viGed with extra stomach for the storage of
food. No monkey ever had sufficient intel
ligence TO build a nest or shelter for itself Du
Cbailln aud some other travellers TO the con-
trary notwithstanding.
All the great group numbering several hun
dred varieties live ia trees, with the exception
Of the baboOn. All Of them are decidedly mis-
chicvous, aud TO the last one is afraid of a
snake az a Digger Indian OF BATH Innumer-
able anecdotes might be told OF the tricks and
diabolisD OF these manikins Of the forest.
Baboons affect human vices with man-like
suggestveness. Any one OF this family will
learn TO chew tobacco. eat il rather. within
a week Of captivity, while many instances are
OF record w here they became drunk as a lord or
Jack tar on shore leave. They arc shaped
like a dog, have canine heads, and run pre-
ciseiy like that creature, except that they SCI
dom bound or jump.
Despite their fierce appearance they are
amiable enough. and only fight in self-defense
/ To this class belong the hamadryas, gelada,
manarill, etc, and they probably the big
gest thieves in the world. In their native
country they the terror of fruit growers
whose orchards they approach by stealth in
large, well-organized bands and make havoc,
wantOnly destroying what they do not eat or
carry away.
An old Italian organ grinder in New York
owned common baboon, which he had trained
! to steal It's own provisions. Its favored method
was TO feign death in order TO distract the po-
| tice OF yenders OF fruit, and when il had sue
ceeded corertly approach the stand, where il
would seize and quickly disappear with a check
pouch lnil Of dates. its favorte food.
The amusement IL occasioned usually saved
/ il from the punishment ID deserved This
/ scamp. however, came TO wofui grief at last.
One day when making off on Baxter street
with loaded ponch Of dates a little terrier dog
| shipped its hind leg.