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Infants belonging to a group of macaques (Macaca mulatta) kept in semicaptivity were maintained under observation, as the focus animal, for a 90-day-period at the California Primate Research Center, Davis. The observations made according to an ethological method (use of stop-watch and check-sheets) aimed at studying the ontogenetic development of some motherinfant interactions during the first phase of the growing up of the infants (the youngest, 3 months old; the oldest, 5 months). More precisely, we analysed 5 different types of temporal sequences, or rather interval times, dating from the beginning of the following mother-infant behaviours: On mother, Nipple, Immobile, and G.b.m.d. On (Grooming by mother during On). From all the possible sequences that we were able to obtain by combining the behaviour patterns two by two, we decided to select only the following rational dyads: B: On mother-B. Immobile, B. Immobile -B. G.b.m.d. On, B. On mother-B. Nipple, B. Nipple, B. Immobile, B. On mother - B. G.b.m.d. On (B = beginning). The longitudinal analysis of the data was executed by using linear trend analysis (i.e. Y = a + bX).Results showed that the interval time related to the feeding time remained constant throughout the three months of observation. The interval time: B. On mother -B. Nipple had a very low coefficient of regression (b = -.26 for the males and b = -.19 for the females). A similar result emerged for the interval time: B. On mother -B. G.b.m.d. On (b = -1.45 for the males and b = - 1.6 for the females). This shows that in most cases the interval times were not distributed chaotically but were sufficiently regular: the slope related to the interval B. On mother -B. Nipple is nearly parallel to the abscissa. This could demonstrate that the interval times concerning mother-infant relationships could be conditioned by feeding (Nipple) and also by G.b.m.d. On. The last two behaviour patterns could determine the type of relation between the partners although the infant receives the greater benefits. Although we did not speak about the physiological connections between Nipple and suckling, it is obvious that this last could occur only simultaneously with Nipple. This work was an attempt to individuate the trends of some temporal variables related to the mother-infant relationship and to maternal care behaviour and those elements which could condition these trends. The slope related to the interval between the moment in which the infant enters into contact with his mother (On mother) and after he has taken the mother's nipple into his mouth is in fact more significative. This last fact induces us to believe that these interactions during this kind of morther-infant relationship are hereditarily coordinated, especially during this early phase of the infant's development.