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When I descended the river in 1859, we had with us a tame adult Uakari, which was allowed to ramble about the vessel, a large schooner.When we reached the mouth of the Rio Negro, we had to wait four days while the custom-house officials at Barra, ten miles distant, made out the passports for our crew, and during this time the schooner lay close to the shore, with its bowsprit secured to the trees on the bank.Well, one morning, scarlet-face was missing, having made his escape into the forest.Two men were sent in search of him, but returned after several hours' absence without having caught sight of the runaway.We gave up the monkey for lost, until the following day, when he re-appeared on the skirts of the forest, and marched quietly down the bowsprit to his usual place on deck.He had evidently found the forests of the Rio Negro very different from those of the delta lands of the Japura, and preferred captivity to freedom in a place that was so uncongenial to him.

The Parauacu Monkey.--Another Ega monkey, nearly related to the Uakaris, is the Parauacu (Pithecia hirsuta), a timid inoffensive creature with a long bear-like coat of harsh speckled-grey hair.

The long fur hangs over the head, half concealing the pleasing diminutive face, and clothes also the tail to the tip, which member is well developed, being eighteen inches in length, or longer than the body.The Parauacu is found on the "terra firma"lands of the north shore of the Solimoens from Tunantins to Peru.

It exists also on the south side of the river, namely, on the banks of the Teffe, but there under a changed form, which differs a little from its type in colours.This form has been described by Dr.Gray as a distinct species, under the name of Pithecia albicans.The Parauacu is also a very delicate animal, rarely living many weeks in captivity; but any one who succeeds in keeping it alive for a month or two, gains by it a most affectionate pet.One of the specimens of Pithecia albicans now in the British Museum was, when living, the property of a young Frenchman, a neighbour of mine at Ega.It became so tame in the course of a few weeks that it followed him about the streets like a dog.My friend was a tailor, and the little pet used to spend the greater part of the day seated on his shoulder, while he was at work on his board.Nevertheless,it showed great dislike to strangers, and was not on good terms with any other member of my friend's household than himself.I saw no monkey that showed so strong a personal attachment as this gentle, timid, silent, little creature.The eager and passionate Cebi seem to take the lead of all the South American monkeys in intelligence and docility, and the Coaita has perhaps the most gentle and impressible disposition; but the Parauacu, although a dull, cheerless animal, excels all in this quality of capability of attachment to individuals of our own species.It is not wanting, however, in intelligence as well as moral goodness, proof of which was furnished one day by an act of our little pet.My neighbour had quitted his house in the morning without taking Parauacu with him, and the little creature having missed its friend, and concluded, as it seemed, that he would be sure to come to me, both being in the habit of paying me a daily visit together, came straight to my dwelling, taking a short cut over gardens, trees, and thickets, instead of going the roundabout way of the street.It had never done this before, and we knew the route it had taken only from a neighbour having watched its movements.On arriving at my house and not finding its master, it climbed to the top of my table, and sat with an air of quiet resignation waiting for him.Shortly afterwards my friend entered, and the gladdened pet then jumped to its usual perch on his shoulder.

Owl-laced Night Apes--A third interesting genus of monkeys found near Ega, are the Nyctipitheci, or night apes, called Ei-a by the Indians.Of these I found two species, closely related to each other but nevertheless quite distinct, as both inhabit the same forests, namely, those of the higher and drier lands, without mingling with each other or intercrossing.They sleep all day long in hollow trees, and come forth to prey on insects and eat fruits only in the night.They are of small size, the body being about a foot long, and the tall fourteen inches, and are thickly clothed with soft grey and brown fur, similar in substance to that of the rabbit.Their physiognomy reminds one of an owl, or tiger-cat: the face is round and encircled by a ruff of whitish fur.the muzzle is not at all prominent; the mouth and chin are small; the cars are very short, scarcely appearing above the hair of the head; and the eyes are large and yellowish in colour, imparting the staring expression of nocturnal animals of prey.

The forehead is whitish, and decorated with three black stripes, which in one of the species (Nyctipithecus trivirgatus) continue to the crown; and in the other (N.felinus), meet on the top of the forehead.N.trivirgatus was first described by Humboldt, who discovered it on the banks of the Cassiquiare, near the head waters of the Rio Negro.

I kept a pet animal of the N.trivirgatus for many months, a young one having been given to me by an Indian compadre, as a present from my newly-baptised godson.These monkeys, although sleeping by day, are aroused by the least noise; so that, when a person passes by a tree in which a number of them are concealed, he is startled by the sudden apparition of a group of little striped faces crowding a hole in the trunk.It was in this way that my compadre discovered the colony from which the one given to me was taken.I was obliged to keep my pet chained up; it therefore, never became thoroughly familiar.I once saw, however, an individual of the other species (N.felinus) which was most amusingly tame.It was as lively and nimble as the Cebi, but not so mischievous and far more confiding in its disposition, delighting to be caressed by all persons who came into the house.