Page:Pictures of life in Mexico Vol 2.djvu/176

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 Habits of monkeys.—Their sociality.—Treatment of each other,—Crossing' a stream.—A serpent's breakfast.—The monkeys' manoeuvre to revenge their comrade.—The snake destroyed.

a comical story might be told of the monkeys who cling and flutter, like uncouth birds, round the forest trees in the tierra caliente of Mexico. Their sociality is amusing; for they are generally to be seen in compact tribes or gangs: and very good-humouredly they seem to affect each other's society. The tricks they play upon other animals or on one another,—cheating the harmless denizens of the forest of their food and habitations; pilfering the birds' eggs from their nests; leaping upon the backs of wondering cattle, tenaciously holding on to their elevated seats, and pelting and bespattering" one another with