as witnessed
repeatedly. In other places, where the intervening space was too wide
for the females with their young to pass over, the males could be seen
bending down a branch of the opposite tree, so as to bring it nearer,
and assist them in crossing. All these movements were performed amidst
a constant gabble of conversation, and shouting, and chattering, and the
noise of branches springing back to their places.

The grove through which the troop was passing ended just by the edge of
the promontory. The palm-trees succeeded, with some trees of large size
that grew over them.

The marimondas at length reached the margin of the grove, and then they
were all seen to stop, most of them throwing themselves, heads down, and
hanging only by their tails. This is the position in which they find
themselves best prepared for any immediate action; and it is into this
attitude they throw themselves when suddenly alarmed. They remained so
for some minutes; and from the chattering carried on among them, it was
evident that they were engaged in deliberation. A loud and general
scream proclaimed the result; and all of them, at one and the same
instant, dropped down to the ground, and were seen crossing over among
the palm-trees.

They had to pass over a piece of open ground with only some weeds upon
it; but their helplessness on the ground was at once apparent. They
could not place their palms on the surface, but doubled them up and
walked, as it were, on the backs of their hands in the most awkward
manner. Every now and again, they flung out their great tails, in hopes
of grasping something that would help them along; and even a large weed
was a welcome support to them. On the ground they were evidently "out
of their element." In fact, the _ateles_ rarely descend from the trees,
which are their natural _habitat_.

At length they reached the palms; and, seated in various attitudes,
looked up at the tempting fruit, all the while chattering away. How
were they to reach it? Not a tree that was not covered with long
needles--not a bunch of the luscious fruit that was not far above the
height of the tallest marimonda! How were they to get at it?--that was
the question. It might have been a puzzling question to so many boys--
to the monkeys it was not; for in less than a score of seconds they had
settled it in their minds how the pupunhas were to be plucked.

Rising high over the palms grew a large tree, with long out-rea