The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-08
The Monkey House, the Snakes and
PythOus.

The monkeys ought to hold the same
place in the world of beasts which the par
rots do in the world of birds. Somehow
they just seem to miss this. Some, like
the Capuchins and Diana monkeys, are
really beautiful but the greater number
only succeed in being grotesque while
though gifted, like the parrots, with pow
ers of touch and taste superior to others
Of their kind, their brain seems to have
gone wrong" The greater number are
sharp without being clever. and in the end
their lives are less satisfactory than those
Of far less gifted beasts. The baboon
family should be excepted from this. They
are more stable than the others, and
equally gifted with brains. and, if their
tempers were not so bad, might be made
useful servants of man. at Uitenhage,
one OF the Northern Railway stations of
Cape Colony, a baboon was long employed
to help to shift the points"
In the whole monkey house there is only
one family. the Capucbins which be
thoroughly recommended TO make pets of.
The history and character Of the rest can
be judged by watching their ways. The
only man the writer has ever met who
seems able to like, understand and control
keeper of the house at the London Zoo.
But he is gifted with special Insight into
the minds of monkeys and all animals.
MONKEY WAYS.
The inmates Of the house die so frequent
ly when the colds and fogs of winter come
ON that 1t is difficult to set down with GER
tainty that any animal referred to will be
there at the readers next visit; but the
baboon should always be noted, and the
curious apes Of China and Japan. which
live on. OF doors at the Zoo even in snowy
weather. In a house at the back and in
some OF the side cages are the beautiful
little insect-eating monkeys Of South Amer
lea, the marmosets, the squirrel monkeys
and the negro tamarins. These are more
like squirrels than monkeys in their habits.
and are quite as beautiful. In the ape
house there is now a very large and fero-
cious chimpanZee. 1t is too savage to be
allowed out in the large cage, and SO strong
that no keeper dare handle it. 1t spends
most OF its time in kicking and stamping
like refractory prisoner in the cells. 1t
will stamp for an hour at time, only
varying this amusement by stamping back
ward against the side OF the cage, instead
Of on the floor. Those who ina gined that
all these large apes were as gentle as
sally" were rather surprised at its be-
havior. Note also in the large monkey
house the common lungur monkeys OF In
dia; the mustache monkeys, on which the
skin and parts OF the hair are powder
blue" the marmosets and any small South
American species which the keeper happens
TO have at the time; and if possible get
leave to see the small lemurs and lorises.
half monkey. half squirrel, and intensely
nocturnal, which are kept in the room at
the back. Their fur is among the most
! beautiful IN nature. Outside the house the
| big tcheli monkey from Picking always ex-
poets a visit. He is certain 10 be in bad
| temper, but is pleased to see visitors in or
der TO show his contempt for other people.
If one spectator pretends to beat or seize
another the monkey instantly fiings at
them what he happens to have m his hand.