ey (_Brachyurus
chiropotes_). This creature is not less than three feet in height and
of a reddish maroon colour. Its body is entirely different from the
"ateles" monkeys, being stouter and covered with a fuller coat of hair;
and its tail is large and bushy, without any prehensile power. It is,
in fact, less of a tree monkey than the _ateles_, although it also lives
among the branches. The most striking peculiarities of the Capuchin are
its head and face. In these it bears a stronger resemblance to the
human being than any other monkey in America. The top of its head is
covered with a crop of coarse hair, that lies somewhat after the fashion
of human hair; but, what most contributes to the human expression is a
large full beard and whiskers reaching down to the breast, and arranged
exactly after the fashion of the huge beards worn by Orientals and some
Frenchmen. There were only two of these Capuchins on the ground--a male
and female, for this species does not associate in bands. The female
one was easily distinguished by her smaller size, and her beard was
considerably less than that of the male. The beards seemed to be
objects of special attention with both--especially the male, as every
now and then he was observed to stroke it down with his hand, just as a
dandy may be seen doing with his moustache or his well-brushed whiskers.

Another peculiar habit of the Capuchins was noticed. There was a little
pool of water close by. Every now and then they ran to this pool and
took a drink from it. But in drinking they did not apply their lips to
the pool or lap like a dog. No; they lifted the water in the hollow of
their hands--hence their specific name of _chiropotes_, or
"hand-drinking monkeys." They raised the water to their lips with great
care, taking pains not to let a drop of it fall on their precious
beards. From this habit of going so often to quench their thirst, the
Capuchin monkeys have in some parts got the name of "hard-drinking
monkeys."

Apart from these was a troop of monkeys of a very different species.
They were nearly of the same size, but more of the shape of the
"ateles;" and their long tails, naked underneath and curling downward
near the points, showed that, like them too, they possessed prehensile
power in that member. Such was the fact, for they were "howling
monkeys;" and some species of these can use the tail almost as adroitly
as the "ateles" themselves. Those that our traveller