The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-22
,IoNKEYING WITH MATCHES.
a Simisn Resident OF philadelphia
Who FINDS Pleasure in the PastIme.


Who FINDS Pleasure in the Pnstime.
r,-or, t,., ,,,,,,...,.,-.,.s. -,.,..---.,.
--i''
Ane fhiladelnhia geological Garden
contains no NOSE attractive department
for iuyfnifs visitors sra son,a ,,i,3.- .,...s
'-- sumo Ui-1- D'-vS
fa "eiL 'Han the monkey house and the
never ending activity Of the bright little
creatures bs. -. ~, - -.
N-4
ol s-.e''a tors. Many Of these spectators
content 90 simply watch. but viii from
time 10 time push various things through
the hairs and MEETINGS. in hopes of thereby
causing some new antic or monkey trick
Such conduct, OF course. is contrary 10
the rules but If keeper is not near az
hand there Is always some one who viii
snow it. Sticks, stones. fruit cansy,
nuts. tobacco ana similar small things are
among those most frequently inserted On
the ca yes.
by reason of the fact that almost every
man carries matches. these are among
the things most commonly offered. or
course. match would be thing most
onlccionanie for a monkey to have, by
The monkeys are alv-avs on the ont
look for something sweet 10 eat. ANY
thing offered them goes almost di-
ractly into their mouths If they do not
ma 10 palatanle, their next mauuver is
20 break 10 or scratch it on the bars or
Moor of the cage or The water kettle.
liy reason of this tendency many matches
nave been lighted 10y the monkeys. and
the boys were not long iu dfsrOVorfns That
one Of the animals possessed a greater
faculty than his fellows for lighting
matches. Indeed, he became so expert
about 1t as TO attract the attention of
Prof. -. ID. Cope who witnessed his trick
and has, therefore, been watched and eN-
pcrimented upon in this line to quite an
extent
The animal Is a cebus amelia a native
OF South America. and from
me readiness with which this
species learn TO do little tricks
ia the monkey commonly used BY hand
organ grinders TO collect pennies The re-
suit of these experiments caused the in
sertion OF paragraph in the American
Naturalist stating the animals ability
with matches and a reporter visited the
gardens 20 witness the act for himself
Jacko has "tumbled 10 the fact that a
ma lch is match. and proceeds accord
lngly. When one is given him he can de-
termine which end has the illuminate; he
seems to do this by sight, but like child
always on the lookout for Something
sweet, gives an article the test of putting
It In its mouth, as the taste Is more
acute in children than sight or feeling.
JACKIE generally ends by putting the full
inmate In his mouth. IL he has not done
so at first.
lie is so accurate in determining the
illuminate that "a failure Is very rare in
deed. Inen. Selling the match near the
head, he draws IL quickly across the rough
side Of the water kettle. and al the proper
distance from the head to avoid break-
age. AS soon as the match h lighted an
ms interest rs at an end and he drppe
II Immediately This total Indifference
as 10 The destination of the lighted match
is what the authorities OF the Zoo oD-
Ject to- and JACKIE will shortly ind him
self IN a new location in conseuuence
The cebus sometimes fails to ignite the
match I'm his first or even second attempt
by reason Of having held n in his ,notltb
so long as to damben> the illuminate. in
such case he gives IL careful -sorufinv
and deep thought If he cannot light the
match then. he seems to consider il as
bogus, breaks IL over the edge of the xet-
tie or on bar Of the cage. and speedilv
proceeds to pursue some other Character
istic activity OF his daily life once in
a while he fails TO select rough surface
for the first trial and therefore fails in
the attempt. he seems TO have learned 10
try. Try again. however. and Is USUALLY
more successful next time
Supt. Brown says that since Jaclo's
come public &c will be necessary 10 re-
move him from his present quarters FOR
fear chat sooner or later he win set Drs.
/ to the building and.cause us destruetton.
together with himself AMI feiiows Re.
sides the little fellow shows a. much ifni-
tatlve powers that he desires Ia ftirfbe,.
test his capabilities. ana believes thnt he
may be able to teach him 10 smoke a nine
! owing to their aDparent stlberfor fntefii-
gence Suptg Brown has. al,5ya.ye 4 a lion a
BIeal amount OF interest IN observing the