and it was only after many vigorous jumps that the
monkey could make his escape.
It was curious to observe the different actions of these
two animals, which could not have differed much in age.
The Mias, like a very young baby, lying on its back quite
helpless, rolling lazily from side to side, stretching out all
four hands into the air, wishing to grasp something, but
hardly able to guide its fingers to any definite object; and
when dissatisfied, opening wide its almost toothless mouth,
and expressing its wants by a most infantine scream. The
little monkey, on the other hand, in constant motion;
running and j\unping about wherever it pleased, examining
everything around it, seizing hold of the smallest objects
with the greatest precision, balancing itself on the edge
of the box or running up a post, and helping itself to
anything eatable that came in its way. There could hardly
be a greater contrast, and the baby Mias looked more
baby-like by the comparison.
When I had had it about a month, it began to exhibit
some signs of learning to run alone. When laid upon the
floor it would push itself along by its legs, or roll itself
over, and thus make an unwieldy progression. When
lying in the box it would lift itself up to the edge into
almost an erect position, and once or twice succeeded in
tumbling out. When left dirty, or hungry, or otherwise
neglected, it would scream violently till attended to, varied
by a kind of coughing or pumping noise, very similar to
that which is made by the adult animal. If no one was
in the house, or its cries were not attended to, it would
be quiet after a little while, but the moment it heard a
footstep would begin again harder than ever.
After five weeks it cut its two upper front teeth, but in
all this time it had not grown the least bit, remaining
both in size and weight the same as when I first procured
it. This was no doubt owing to the want of milk or other
equally nourishing food. Rice-water, rice, and biscuits
were but a poor substitute, and the expressed milk of the
cocoa-nut which I sometimes gave it did not quite agree
with its stomach. To this I imputed an attack of diarrhoea
from which the poor little creature suffered greatly, but a
small dose of castor-oil operated well, and cured it. A
week or two afterwards it was again taken ill, and this
time more seriously. The symptoms were exactly those
of intermittent fever, accompanied by watery swellings on
the feet and head. It lost all appetite for its food, and,
after lingering for a week a most pitiable object, died,
after being in my possession nearly three months. I
much regretted the loss of my little pet, which I had at
one time looked forward to bringing up to years of
maturity, and taking home to England. Eor several
months it had afforded me daily amusement by its curious
ways and the inimitably ludicrous expression of its little