ABSTRACT
An immature Rhesus monkey called Cupid, living in the Psychology Laboratory of the University of California, became attached to Psyche, a female common macaque much older than himself. At first he was completely dominated, and a fortnight had passed before he was seen to respond to her repeated presentations by mounting. During the following year he grew until he was bigger and stronger than the female, and about the end of this time the two animals had assumed mature and normal mating relations. Two and a half years after their first meeting, two young female Rhesus monkeys, Eva and Topsy, were introduced into the laboratory, the male proving very antagonistic to their intrusion. When they were introduced into his cage—Psyche having been previously removed—he attacked both of them viciously, and when they were taken away, he greeted the return of his old female with conspicuous sexual interest. The recorder of this tale, Tinklepaugh, 357 to whom the animals belonged, failed to bring about a conciliation between the male and the younger females, for it attacked them even after it had been sexually starved by isolation for two to three weeks. Thus he received the impression that Cupid had built up “what was virtually a monogamous attachment for Psyche.” About nine months after the young animals had been introduced to the male, Tinklepaugh made strong efforts, by feeding and muzzling, to induce Cupid to enter into relationship with Topsy. About a fortnight passed before the male’s antagonistic attitude was effectively replaced by one of attraction. Five days after friendly relations had been established, Topsy was removed from the cage, and his old mate, Psyche, reintroduced. Cupid’s attitude to Psyche was normal, although sexual responses were not so frequently displayed as before their separation. He spent much time gazing at Topsy who had been placed in an adjacent cage. A fortnight later Psyche was again removed and Topsy in turn reintroduced. Cupid mounted her, but immediately jumped away and began to bite his hind feet, an action that had been part of his play from his earliest days in the laboratory. Such behaviour was noted many times during the first three days after their reunion, but he was never seen to complete the sexual act. This part of the story is best told in Tinklepaugh’s own words:
“On the fourth day he was discovered with his hind feet rather badly lacerated. To facilitate examination and medical attention, he was led from his cage by the doorway leading into the area between it and the nearby cage now containing Psyche and Eva. He looked back at the cage where Topsy still remained and then toward the cage containing the other two females. Psyche, who had seemed to be much upset by Topsy’s presence in Cupid’s cage, was now on the side of her cage shrieking threateningly across at the other female. Suddenly, and with no previous signs of anger or particular emotion, Cupid lurched to the end of his chain and began to bite himself. In a few seconds he tore huge jagged rents in his already lacerated legs. Then, as though in intense pain, he jumped into the writer’s arms.”
