SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE INTELLIGENCE 

 OF THE CHIMPANZEE 



W. T. SHEPHERD 



Waynesburg College 



The observations reported in this paper were made on two 

 chimpanzees; Peter, an ape on the vaudeville stage a few years 

 ago, and Consul, also lately, and I believe still, on the stage. 

 However, the writer is not certain that the latter ape exhibited 

 on the stage as Consul and observed by the writer was the 

 Consul extensively mentioned in the newspapers when brought 

 from Europe a few years ago. The manager represented the 

 latter vaudeville star to be the original Consul. 



The observations made on Peter included those made at two 

 performances by him on the stage and in one private examina- 

 tion of him. The observations on Consul included seeing him 

 perform on the stage once and a private examination of him 

 by the writer. In the cases of both Peter and Consul the ob- 

 server questioned the keepers concerning the animal's perform- 

 ances, habits and training. 



Of course, had it been practicable, observations should have 

 been made much more extensively to give satisfactory results. 

 But we believe that the observations reported warrant at least 

 a partial explanation of the apparently superior intelligence 

 exhibited by these and similar animals. 



We shall first give a syllabus of the conclusions to which the 

 observations appear to lead, and the indications to which the 

 observed reactions seem to lead. 



The writer believes that the apparently superior intelligence 

 of the apes is principally accounted for by: 



1. The superior motor-equipment of the animals 



2. The training which all show animals receive. 



3. The semi-erect carriage of apes. 

 We note also that : 



4. There are indications of intelligent imitation in the mental 

 make-up of the animals. 



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