THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE CHIMPANZEE 393 



IMITATION 



As a test of imitation, I took out my watch and pressed on 

 the stem, slowly, and opened the watch three times while Peter 

 watched my actions with attention and apparently with interest. 

 Then I reached it to him: he held it and pressed on the stem 

 correctly several times, as if to open it. However, he did not press 

 hard enough, and the watch did not open. He thereupon at- 

 tempted to open it with his finger nails. The keeper stated to 

 me that the ape. had not received any training on that act. 



APE WRITING 



I held out a writing tablet and a pencil to Peter. He at 

 once seized them and began scribbling, i.e., making irregular 

 marks on the tablet. I made, in his sight, the letter T; a very 

 plain T, with simply one vertical and one horizontal stroke of 

 the pencil. The ape made a rather poor T, the first time shown. 

 He also made a W when I showed him once. Peter seemed to 

 like to use the pencil and tablet. 



Upon being ordered by his keeper, the animal put a handker- 

 chief around my neck and tied it quickly and correctly when told 

 to do so. He also untied the knot quickly. 



He came and slapped me on the lower limb when the keeper 

 bade him, though apparently with some reluctance. The animal 

 would lie down and sit up when ordered to do so. 



APE LANGUAGE 



When told to do so, Peter articulated the word ' mama." 

 The ape spoke the word something like a foreigner speaks it. 

 I noted, however, that the wife of the keeper pressed her fingers 

 against the ape's under lip when he spoke the word mentioned. 



Now, let us attempt to analyze the factors in the apparently 

 superior intelligence shown in the actions of the ape, just recited. 

 In these acts, it seems we may see in the superior motor-equip- 

 ment of the animal one of the principal factors. Peter's com- 

 paratively perfect hands enabled him to use the knife and fork 

 in eating and to handle a cup in drinking. His man-like lower 

 limbs, his hands and his upright figure enabled him to ride the 

 bicycle, to pick up a bottle and drink while riding, etc. His 

 superior motor-equipment was also, as it seems to the writer, 



