THE LANGUAGE OF THE MARMOSET.
[To ins EDITOR OP TH711 " SPROTLTOR.".1 SIR,—Some attention has been aroused by the recent attempt to reproduce monkey-talk by means of the phonograph. It is perhaps not generally known that in a little book, published nearly a hundred years ago, at the sign (strangely enough) of the Tour de Babel, on the Quai Voltaire, Paris, a French writer made an endeavour to reduce the chatter of the tiny marmoset to articulate translatable language. The whistle, or ouistiti, from which this little creature has its French name, he describes truly as a long, sharp, piercing sound, repeated two or three times, signifying the want of something or some one. I would add to this, that it is evidently the call used by one to the other. A very young one that I had always cried " Ouistititi, ouistitititi," to the older one for help, if it thought itself in danger. " Ghriii," a long-drawn high tone, he translates into "come." All those that I have possessed have thus called me to come to them. "Gnenakiki "expresses, he says, terrible fear; " Trouakki," violent, despairing grief; " Tronagno," intense pain, "save me." One that had broken its leg thus warned me of it. " Krrrreoeoeo," often repeated, means very happy indeed; " a little better; " Korrie," annoyed, disturbed; " °cow," deep terror; " Anic," feebly and melodiously uttered, means help! protect ! " Quih," "I want something very much ;" " Quoueee," despair of escaping some danger,—this sound I have often heard all my marmosets make at the sight of anything strange to them, or which reminded them of some known danger.
The above, and other expressions, fanciful as they may appear to some, yet have a clear meaning to those who, like Pierquin de Gembloux, are accustomed to watch and observe " dumb " animals closely, and who, as the present writer feels, can thus arrive at understanding even their mute appeals for help, sympathy, companionship, or kindness.—I am, Sir, &a.,
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