Chapter X: The Hocheur Guenon. Cercopithecus Nictitans

_Simia nictitans_, Linn., Syst. Nat., i., p. 40 (1766).

_Cercopithecus nictitans_, Erxl., Syst. Règne Anim., p. 35 (1777);
Martin, Mammif. An., p. 536 (1841); Wagner, in Schreber's Säugeth.
Suppl., v., p. 50 (1855); Gray, P. Z. S., 1868, p. 182; id., Cat. Monkeys
Brit. Mus., p. 21 (1870); Schl., Mus. Pays-Bas, vii., p. 89 (1876); Scl.,
P. Z. S., 1893, p. 246.

_Cercopithecus nictitans_ (Hocheur), F. Cuvier, Hist. Nat., Mamm. i., pl.
17 (1825); Audebert, Hist. Nat. des Singes, Fam. iv., Sect. i., p. 9, pl.
2.

CHARACTERS.--Head round; forehead elevated; face depressed; nose broad, short-haired. "Hair of the head very full; boldly over-reaching the eyes, obscuring the ears, and adding to the breadth and elevation of the top of the head." (_Martin._) Nose-spot narrow above, commencing between the eyes, broad below; the lips and a broad ring round the eyes, nude, or very short-haired, elsewhere haired; whiskers bushy; callosities covered with hair; thumbs very short; muzzle shorter than is {52}usually the case in the genus; no beard; tail long, thinly-haired, tapering.

General colour all over, black, speckled with white or yellowish, the hairs being grey at their roots, then black, tipped with white or yellowish-white; face purplish-black; nose-spot pure white; no white on the lips; ears black; no black stripes on the face, a character distinguishing it from all the other spotted-nosed Monkeys; under surface of body and basal part of tail blackish-grey, the inside of the limbs less distinctly so.

Some specimens are not so black, but are greyer, especially on the under side, which may be washed with brown.

The white colour of the nose not extending on to the upper lip distinguishes this species from _C. petaurista_, independently of the general colouring.

DISTRIBUTION.--West Africa. Although the "Hocheur" is not uncommon in European menageries, it is still uncertain in exactly what part of that extensive region it has its home.

HABITS.--Nothing is known of the habits of this species, except what has been observed from examples living in captivity. In durance the species is mild and gentle in disposition, and very active, and has a way of incessantly shaking its head, a habit from which it derives its French appellation of "Hocheur."