remained, by the permission of their conquerors, in the country which was formerly theirs.

NATURAL HISTORY.

AMERICAN MONKEYS.

"No country," says Anquetil, "was ever subjected to so many successive divisions as the land of Canaan. The most distinguished of the American monkeys Under its first inhabitants it contained kingdoms; un-are the Sapajous. They are comprised under the der the Jews, tribes; under the Babylonian conquerors scientifick term ATELES, a genus formed by M. Geofand others, provinces; under the Idumean kings, te-able modifications of organick structure, which readily froy St. Hilaire, and presenting numerous and remarktrarchies and toparchies, subject to the Romans; under the Mamelukes, scattered cities without any connexion in their government; under the Crusaders, one kingdom; and lastly, under the Turks, if we except some maritime districts, it is almost uninhabited. It must be confessed the country of Canaan would have nothing remarkable, if it had not been the habitation of a people who placed their happiness in its possession, and who never speak of it but with trans-common to the ateles and other American genera; port; if it had not been the scene of the principal mysteries of our religion and lastly, if Christian Europe by pouring forth its troops, at the time of the crusades, on this small part of Asia, had not rendered it famous. Its limits, and consequently its extent, have varied in different ages; and few of its parts have preserved their primitive names. As the tribe of Judah was the most numerous and warlike, the subdued nations were accustomed to call their conquerours Jews, and their country Judea.”

PALESTINA.

distinguish them from all other groups of quadruma. nes. The most prominent characters of the genus consist in their long, attenuated, and powerfully prehensile tails; fore-hands either entirely deprived of thumbs, or having only a very small rudiment of that organ; and their dental system, which, like that of all the American quadrumanes, consists of two molar teeth in each jaw, one on each side, more than are found either in man, or in the kindred genera of the old world. The first and last of these modifications are the second is shared with them only by the colobi, a small African genus, consisting only of two species, neither of which has been observed by any zoologist since the days of Pennant, and with whose other characters we are very imperfectly acquainted. The ateles are further distinguished by their small round heads, corpulent bodies, and remarkably long slender limbs, which characteristicks giving these animals much of the general appearance of a spider, have procured for them the appellation of spider-monkeys, by which they are commonly known. Like all the other quadrumanes of the new world, they are destitute of cheek pouches and callosities, characters which approximate them in some measure to the real apes. The skull of the ateles is rounder and the brain larger than in the common monkeys; the forehead also is more elevated, and the muzzle less prominent. The eyes are widely separated from one another by the base of the nose; the nostrils open laterally, and are separated by a thick of man in having no inferiour lobe; the mouth is cartilaginous partition; the ear only differs from that small; the lips thin and extensible; and the hair generally long, coarse, and of a glossy appearance.

This country was not celebrated during this period, for any thing more than the advantages which the Philistines its inhabitants, frequently gained over the Israelites. These two nations were continually at war with each other. Samson was raised up to contend against the formidable Philistines. Gifted with more than ordinary human strength, he killed thousands of their youth, took Ascalon, carried away the gates of Gaza on his shoulders, and burnt their harvests. When made prisoner by them he soon after shook down a temple, and buried great numbers of the Philistines together with himself, in the ruins. Among the successes of the Philistines over the Israelites they took the ark of the covenant from them and all their arms, and all the means of manufacturing any, not even suffering a smith to remain among them. But David, who killed the giant Goliah with a stone from his sling, afterwards led on the Israelites to many glorious victories over the Philistines in return. "The Philistines afterwards regained their superiority in a great battle, in which Saul was killed. David revenged the defeat of the Israelites; and other kings of Israel subjected them to their yoke, which, however, they soon shook off, and were never entirely subdued. Their entire organization is adapted exclusively to At length, as if the destinies of these two people were an arboreal life; on the earth nothing can be more continually to balance each other, after having mutu- trail themselves along with a slow and vacillating gait, awkward and embarrassed than their motions. They ally exhausted their strength, they passed together un-sometimes using their long fore-arms as crutches, and der the dominion of the Assyrians, and the nation of the Philistines was lost."

But the organs of locomotion chiefly distinguish the ateles. The anteriour extremities, in particular, are by their length and the slenderness of their form out of all proportion with the other parts; they are in general, as above observed, destitute of thumbs; or if some species are provided with this organ, it is only in a rudimentary form, and consists merely of a flat nail, or at most of a single joint. On the posteriour extremities, on the contrary, the thumb is largely developed, placed far back towards the heel, and is completely opposable to the fingers. But these animals possess, in their long and muscular tail, an organ of prehenit executes, in fact, all the functions of a fifth limb, sion much more powerful than the other extremities; though probably on account of its distance from the seat of sensation, it is not endowed with a very delicate sense of touch. For six or seven inches from the and it is by this portion that the animal hangs suspoint it is naked and callous on the under surface; pended from the branches, or swings itself from tree to tree with an ease and velocity almost incredible.

resting upon their half-closed fists whilst they project the body and hind-legs forward; at other times walking in a crouching position on the hind legs only, balanced by the long arms and tail, which are elevated

A Tetrarchy is the government of the fourth part of a pro-in front and rear respectively, and always ready to

vince.

take advantage of any object by which to avail themA Toparchy is the government of a particular region, as a selves of their natural powers of progression. But in county, city, town, &c.

proportion to their embarrassment on a plain surface

to pelt them with sticks, and endeavour to frighten them away. They cannot leap, but exhibit the most surprising agility in swinging from tree to tree. Acosta, in his History of the West Indies, relates the following anecdote of a quata which belonged to the Gov

is their dexterity and agility among the trees of their | examine them, and having satisfied their curiosity, begin native forests. Here they live in numerous troops, mutually support one another in danger, beat and expel the less favourably organized sakis from the vicinity of their cantonments, and exercise a perfect tyranny over all the other arboreal mammals of their neighbourhood. Though leaves and wild fruits compose the principal part of their food, yet they do not reject flesh, but hunt after insects and the eggs and young of birds, and are even said to adopt the stratagem of fishing for crabs with their long tails. They are exceedingly intelligent, easily domesticated, and soon become strongly attached to those who treat them kindly they exhibit none of the petulance and insatiable curiosity of the common monkeys; their character, on the contrary, is grave, and approaches even to melancholy; but if their passions are less violent, and more difficult to excite, their affections are infinitely stronger; and if they are without the amusing tricks of the monkeys, so likewise are they without their fickleness and mischief.

Dampier relates, that when a troop of ateles have occasion to pass any of the larger rivers of South America, they select a situation in which the trees are highest and project farthest over the stream; then mounting to the topmost branches, they form a long chain by grasping one another's tails successively. This chain being allowed to hang freely at the lower end, whilst it is suspended from the top, is put in motion, and successively swung backwards and forwards till it acquires an impetus sufficient to carry it over to the opposite bank. When this is accomplished, the animal at the lower end catches the first branch which comes within his reach, and mounts to the highest, where, as soon as he is firmly attached, the other end of the chain is permitted to swing, and thus the whole troop are passed over. The ateles, as well indeed as all the other American quadrumanes,, are esteemed as an article of food by the native Indians; and even Europeans, whom curiosity or necessity has induced to taste it, report their flesh to be white, juicy, and agreeable. The only thing disgusting about it is a strong resemblance which the whole body, and particularly the head and hands, bear to those of a young infant. Nor is it without being strongly disposed to question the nature of the act, that European sportsmen, unaccustomed to shooting monkeys, witness for the first time the dying struggles of these animals. Without uttering a complaint, they silently watch the blood as it flows from the wound, from time to time turning their eyes upon the sportsman with an expression of reproach which cannot be misinterpreted: some travellers even go so far as to assert that the companions of the wounded individual will not only assist him to climb beyond the reach of further danger, but will even chew leaves and apply them to the wound for the purpose of stopping the hemorrhage. The following species of ateles have been distinguish ed and characterized by naturalists and travellers:

1. The Quata (A. paniscus, Geoff) or, as the French write it, coaita, is a large species, covered with long coarse hair. of a glossy black colour; the belly is protuberant, the head small and round, the limbs long and slender, the fore-hands entirely deprived of thumbs, the tail robust and powerful, the eyes and cheeks deeply sunk, and the face copper colour. On the back and outsides of the limbs the hair is very long and thick, but the belly and inner parts are nearly naked. The hair of the head is directed downwards, and the ears, concealed beneath it, differ from those of the human species only in having no inferiour lobe. This species is very common in the woods of Surinam and Brazil. It is active and intelligent, and unites considerable prudence and penetration to great gentleness of disposition. They go in large companies, and when they meet with a man or any animal which is strange to them, come down to the lower branches of the trees to

ernour of Carthagena:-They sent him,' says he, to the tavern for wine, putting the pot in one hand and the money in the other; they could not possibly get the money out of his hand before his pot was full of wine. If any children met him in the street, and threw stones at him, he would set his pot down and cast stones against the children, till he had assured his way, then would he return to carry home his pot. And what is more, although he was a good bibber of wine, yet he would never touch it till leave was given him."

2. The Chuva (A. marginatus, Geoff.) closely resembles the quata in physiognomy, size, and proportions; the quality and colour of the hair are also the same in both, except that the face of the chuva is surrounded with a rim of white, which, on the forehead particularly, is broad, and directed upwards, so as to encounter the hair of the occiput, and form a low crest on the top of the head. The hair of the fore-arm is directed partially towards the elbow; like that of the body it is long and coarse, and though perfectly black, has not the glossy appearance of the quata's covering. The face is nearly naked, and tan-coloured; the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and callous part of the tail are violet black, and the whole skin beneath the hair appears to be of the same hue. According to Humboldt, who discovered the species on the banks of the Amazon, the male and female differ in the colour of the circle which surrounds the face, and which he describes as yellow in the former and white in the latter. A young male examined by M. Geoffroy St. Hilaire, did not present this difference; but, as in many other instances, it is probable that the young males of this species have at first the colours of the female, and that it is only on attaining their adult state that they assume those marks, which distinguish their sex. It appears also that individuals differ considerably in the extent as well as the colour of this circle. The specimens described by MM. Humboldt and Geoffroy had it entirely surrounding the face; that examined by M. F. Cuvier, had only the hair of the cheeks and the forehead white; and, finally, there is at present a female in the gardens of the Zoological Society of Lon

don, in which the latter part alone differs in colour from the rest of the head. In this individual the hair of the forehead is much shorter and more thinly scattered than on other parts: it covers the whole extent of the forehead, is turned upwards, and is of a silvery gray colour, whilst that of the surrounding parts is deep black. The disposition and manners differ in no respect from those of the quata.

3. The Cayou (A. ater, F. Cuv.) is considered by MM. Geoffroy and Desmarest as a variety of the quata; but M. F. Cuvier, from observations made upon the living animal, has recognised and described it as a distinct species. It must however be confessed, that it approaches so nearly to the quata as to render further observations necessary to determine the question of their specifick difference. The size, form and colour are the same in both, and the only marked distinction reported by M. Cuvier consists in the colour of the face, which is black in the cayou and copper-coloured in the quata. The hair,' says M. Cuvier, is long, and of a harsh silky quality. It is rather shorter on the head and tail than on the rest of the body, here it falls backwards in the ordinary way, but on he head it is directed forward, and falls over the face.'

out a nail, and in other respects the two animals are sufficiently distinguished by their difference of colour and habitat. The chameck indeed approaches more nearly in external form and appearance to the quata than to any other of its congeners, being furnished with a similar coat of long dense hair, of an intense and uniform black colour; but it may be readily distinguished from that species by the presence of the ru dimentary thumb on the anteriour members, as well as by its size, which considerably exceeds that of the quata. It has a protuberant muzzle, and its lips, like those of the quata, are capable of prolongation; the forehead is high; the face, cheeks, ears, and chin, are naked and of a brown colour, with a few long black hairs thinly scattered over them; the hair of the head .is long, matted, and directed forwards over the forehead, that of the body and members very long and thick; the fingers, both upon the anteriour and posteriour extremities, are long, slender, and nearly naked; the tail is considerably longer than the body, very thick and covered at the base with close shaggy hair, but attenuated towards the point, where it is more sparingly furnished with shorter hair, and entirely naked underneath.

Arachnoides, as well in the colour of its fur as in the | sent, resembles the mono in having a small rudimen general form and proportions of its body and mem-tary thumb on the anteriour extremities, but it is with bers; but it is readily distinguished from that species as well as from all the other ateles hitherto described, by the presence of a small rudimentary thumb on the fore-hands. The face also is more uniformly covered with hair than in the generality of the other species, being naked only about the region of the eyes; the hairs which compose the eyebrows are long, black, and directed upwards; the cheeks, lips, nose, and a narrow line descending from the forehead, are covered with short hairs of a pale yellowish-white colour; the chin also is furnished with short hair of the same colour and quality, but intermixed with thinly scattered long black hairs, forming a species of beard, and extending over the upper lip in the form of thin mustaches. The ears are small and nearly concealed by the hair of the

This species inhabits Guyana and some of the neighbouring provinces of Brazil. Von Sack, in his Voyage to Surinam, gives the following account of its manners under the name of quata, with which species its general appearance probably causes it to be frequently confounded. The quata,' says this author, is of a véry docile disposition, and capable of being quite domesticated: I have seen a pair of them at a gentleman's house at Paramaribo, which were left quite at liberty; when the female negroes were employed at their needlework, they used to come and sit amongst them, and play with a piece of paper, and afterwards go out to gambol upon the trees, but never went over to the neighbouring gardens; and they knew well the usual hour of dinner at their master's, when they would come to the gallery, look in at the windows, though without attempting to enter into the room, being aware that this was a liberty not allowed them; they therefore patiently waited for their dinner on the outside.'

[THE MONO. Ateles Hypoxanthus.] head, which though not very long, is thickly furnished, and of a pale gray colour slightly tinged with yellow. The whole body and members are of a uniform grayish fawn colour, only differing in the greater degree of intensity which distinguishes the back and upper parts from those beneath, and in the lighter gray tinge which predominates on the extremities. The backs of the fingers are hairy down to the very nails, and there is a rudiment of a thumb on the fore feet, covered with a short compressed nail.

The mono was discovered by Prince Maximilian of Neuwied, during his travels in Brazil. It is the largest species of the quadrumanes which inhabit the part of the country through which that scientifick traveller passed, and though sufficiently common in particular districts, appears to have upon the whole but a very limited geographical range. Its hide is said to be more impervious to moisture than any other description of fur known in that part of the world, and for this reason the Brazilian sportsmen have cases of the skin of the mono made to protect the locks of their guns from the rain.

Texas was but little known to our countrymen, until seen by the gallant bands who entered it, in aid of the 8. The Chameck (A. subpentadactylus, Geoffroy,) patriot cause at different periods of the Mexican strugthe last species of the genus distinctly known at pre-gle for independence. They saw a country equal to

France in extent, intersected with numerous rivers | staple, approaches the Sea Island Cotton. This is the running hundreds of miles into the interiour, producing in its various climate and soil, all the commercial staples of the whole American continent. They brought home this knowledge, and gave an account of its beauty, fertility and salubrity; and many were tempted to seek an abode there, in spite of the prohibition of the then existing laws.

great crop of Texas, and even at this period equals 10,000 bales. Sugar has for many years been made on the Trinity, within Vehleim's grant, and the cane ripens several inches higher, than in Louisiana. Tobacco grows luxuriantly every where, and may become an important article of export. The grape is universal throughout the country, and in great variety and sweetness. In Vehleim's grant an attempt has been made to cultivate the native vines, and the experiment has shown that wine of the best quality can be made from them, and we may promise ourselves at a future.day to have American wines from this country rivalling those of Europe.

Foremost in this enterprise was Moses Austin, who, about twelve years since, obtained from the Commandant at Bexar, permission to introduce settlers, repaired to the United States to procure them; but dying on the route, left his son, Col. Stephen F. Austin, with the fulfilment of his undertaking. On this gentleman's arrival at Bexar, he found the commandant indisposed to comply with his engagements; and the revolution being accomplished, and a new order of things established, he determined to proceed to the city of Mexico, and there renew the proposal of introducing settlers into Texas. The result was the passage of a general colonization law, authorizing districts of country to be assigned to contractors who would undertake to pop-acquire a large farm. And a further inducement to emulate the country. This law laid the foundation of a system which was made more liberal and extended by that of the State of Coahulia and Texas; under which were made the grants which have been the subject of so much enterprise.

Austin was the first to begin colonizing, and laid the foundation of the extensive settlements now existing in Texas. But others soon followed; and Zavala, Burnet and Vehleim were equally successful in their application for lands. They selected the district of country immediately on the boundary line of the United States, lying between the Sabine to the East, the Jacinto and Naveste to the West, and the Gulf of Mexico on the South, running North about 300 miles. Austin's settlement is contiguous, and lies on the western line of Vehleim & Burnet's, and embraces the rivers Brassos and Colorado. Grants have been made to others in different sections of the country more remote from our borders, and all of good land. But the settlements from the Sabine to the Colorado, being continued and nearer to us, are better known, and can be described with more certainty.

A country so inviting is of course rapidly settling, and it is estimated to have at this time a population of 3,000 Anglo-Americans. The law of the 6th April 1830, which prohibited the citizens of the U. S. from entering the country as colonists being repealed, they are now going in and receiving titles to the finest lands in the world, at prices so low as to enable the poorest to igrate to this delightful region is held out by the law now in operation forming Texas into a separate Judicial District, with a Judge of ability, a native of the United States; and an organization of courts similar to our The proceedings are required to be in the English language, and the right of trial by Jury secured in all cases civil or criminal. By another law it is declared that no man shall be molested on account of his religious or political opinions; thereby securing the rights of conscience and religious freedom. These two liberal laws were passed at the last session of the State legislature, and the first by the federal Congress, and approved by President St. Anna; showing fully the friendly feelings entertained towards Texas by the State and national authorities.

own.

All is now quiet throughout the republick. Texas is never affected by the political changes and commotions in Mexico. The agitated wave is calmed before it reaches a shore so distant from the places where the storms arise. The disturbances which took place two years ago from outrages committed by the military have all subsided, and quiet long since restored. At present Texas in general is a prairie country, having all the there is not a Mexican soldier in Texas, and it is more streams skirted by timber. This is more particularly than probable that none will ever be sent there; cerits character after passing the Trinity, and as you ad-tainly not beyond what may be necessary to protect the vance to the northwest the prairies are of vast extent. But in the grants of Zavala, Burnet & Vehleim there is less of prairie and more of woodland. They abound in beautiful natural meadows, of dimensions from one to five hundred and a thousand acres, producing a luxuriant herbage at all seasons, but have a large proportion of woodland without undergrowth, affording fine pasturage and presenting the aspect of splendid lawns and parks prepared with the taste and labour of high cultivation.

On some of the rivers, the Brassos for instance, are dense forests, but they are never found on the highlands.

The mildness of the climate is such, that no provision is made for horses, cattle, hogs, nor for any stock on a farm: Nature's ample store is sufficient throughout the year, and at all seasons they fatten in the natural pastures; of course they multiply rapidly, and Texas may be called the paradise of animals of the inferiour order; and to man it is the land of promise.

That useful plant, the Indian Corn, grows throughout in perfect majesty, almost scorning the aid of the hand of man. From the gulf to an average distance of 70 miles, the country is level, and forms the sugar district. At this point about the latitude of 30 degrees, the surface becomes undulating, and wheat, rye and oats, can be raised; and one degree further north produces abundant harvests. Cotton is cultivated from the gulf to the Red river, and yields largely with a staple uniformly good; and near the gulf, in length and fineness of

revenue.

The population of Texas is remarkably good for a border country. You cannot expect to find there the refinement and courtesy of older communities; but the virtue of hospitality is nowhere more manifest. Those who imagine that Texas is without the higher requisites for social intercourse are greatly mistaken. From the Sabine to the Colorado, and from the Nacogdoches road to the gulf, embracing the colonies of Austin, and those of Zavala and Vehleim, good farms are opened, comfortable houses erected, many of them large and commodious, and inhabited by as intelligent and respectable families as any country can afford. Many villages have sprung up, exhibiting a growing commerce with its universal attendants, refinement and luxury. But this early and rapid advancement of Texas will not seem strange when we reflect that 3000 Americans are there occupying a fertile soil under a genial climate, and with their accustomed energy and enterprise are developing the resources of one of nature's favoured regions,

It may be well to add, that the mode of acquiring lands in the different colonies is simple, and the titles made secure and in fee. The assignment of lands has been to persons called Empresarios (contractors) who stipulate to introduce a certain number of families within a given time, and no person can within this period acquire lands in the district of the Empresario without his consent. This consent is obtained by a certificate stating the family received and the quantity of land