e placed among the Quadrumana. They are nocturnal in their habits, very
gentle and confiding, with apparently one exception, which is called the
Vari. M. Frederic Cuvier has told us, that two of these being shut up in
a cage together, one killed and eat his companion, leaving nothing but
the skin. Two of them are remarkable for their slow, deliberate
movements; and one of them, named the Lemur Tardigradus, was procured
at Prince of Wales's Island by Mr. Baird. He tells us that his eyes
shone brightly in the dark, and that he moved his eyelids diagonally,
instead of up and down. He had two tongues, one rough like that of a
cat, the other narrow and sharp, and both projected at the same time,
unless he chose to retain the latter. He generally slept rolled up like
a ball, with his arms over his head, taking hold of his cage. He and a
dog lived together in the same cage, and a great attachment subsisted
between them; but nothing could reconcile him to a cat, which constantly
jumped over his back, thereby causing him great annoyance.

I cannot better close this notice of Monkeys than by giving a curious
legend which is told in Northwestern Africa, and which is more uncommon
than the belief, which is to be found in most countries, that "monkeys
can talk if they like, but they won't, for fear white men should make
them work." It was related by the negroes to each other with infinite
humour; the different voices of the characters were assumed, and the
gestures and countenance were in accordance with the tale.

"There was once a big and a strong man, who was a cook, and he married a
woman who thought herself very much above him, so she only accepted him
on condition that she should never be asked to go into the cook-house
(kitchen), but live in a separate dwelling. They were married, and all
the house he had for her was the kitchen; but she did not at first
complain, because she was afraid to make her husband unhappy. At last
she became so tired of her life, that she began to find fault; but at
first was very gentle. At last she scolded incessantly, and the man, to
keep her quiet, told her he would go to the bush (forest), and fetch
wood to build her a new house. He went away, and in a few hours brought
some wood. The next day his wife told him to go and fetch some more.
Again he went away, stayed all day, and only brought home a few sticks,
which made her so angry, that she took the biggest and beat him with it.
The man went aw