A Scientific Monkey.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 867, 12 October 1888, Page 5

A Scientific Monkey.

Under the heading of * Psychology,’ the American Naturalist for May has a curious paragraph (says Nature) on ‘The Monkey as a scientific Investigator.’ In the interesting little Zoo connected with the National Museum at "Washington, there is a fine male grivet monkey (Cercopithecus erythrosa), who shares a large cage with four opossums. To human beings, he show's himself anything but amiable, but he takes kindly to his strange companions, and they have been the best friends from the first. The attention of the attendant was lately drawn to the cage by the exoitement of a crowd iu front of it, and on going to ascertain the cause he was surprised to see the monkey seated in the middle of the cage with one of the opossums lying quietly on her back on his lap, with her head under his arm. The monkey had just discovered the marsupial pouch of the opossum, and was diligently investigating it. Had ho not been a close observer it certainly would have remained unseen, for' it was so tightly closed as to be perfectly invisible in its normal condition. The monkey oarefully lifted the outer wall of the pouch, and peered Into the cavity. Then he reached in with his hand, felt abont for a moment, and to the astonishment of everybody took out a tiny young opossum, about two inches long, hairless, blind, and very helpless, but alive and kicking. Jock held it np to the light, where he could get a good view of it, scrutinised it with the air of a savant, and presently returned it to the pouch, very carefully. After replacing it he looked into the pouoh again, and presently drew out another for examination, which he looked at with solemn interest, smelt it and then carefully put it back. It was thus it became known to the attendants that the old female opossum fad the young ones, which had previously been looked for in vain.