128 The Irish Naturalist. August, 



of the Gardens how delighted the Chimpanzees always are 

 to leave their cage, to roam about the monkey-house, to 

 get out into the grounds and to climb the trees. But 

 " Empress " could never be induced to follow her com- 

 panion " Charhe " on such rambles ; she became accus- 

 tomed to her house and would never leave it, though she 

 often liked to sit in the doorway when the wire door was 

 thrown open. Apparently having once settled down, she 

 developed a strong conservative tendency, with a suspicion 

 of all things new or strange. 



Her affection for " Charlie " was very strong, and though 

 she would never accompany him on his excursions, she tried 

 to keep him in view as long as possible, and seemed anxious 

 and restless until his return. During feeding-time her sub- 

 servience to the Chimpanzee was most noticeable, and if 

 not watched she would, without protest, give up the food 

 which he was greedy enough to covet. In this respect 

 " Empress '' was a contrast to the Breslau Gorilla who, 

 according to Dr. Grabovsky's account, used to be envious 

 when her companion Chimpanzee was fed. During 

 " Empress's " second year's residence in the monkey- 

 house, " Charlie " was for some time unwell ; she then 

 became very anxious, tried to nurse him like a sick child, 

 and pillowed his head on her body. 



The Gorilla used to walk in the manner usual to an- 

 thropoids with the knuckles resting on the ground, the 

 body inclined forwards and the head thrust out. She 

 climbed leisurely up to the beam that crosses the compart- 

 ment about five feet above the floor, and often spent much 

 time sitting on this with her back to the wall. Her move- 

 ments were always slow, compared with the rapid agility 

 of the Chimpanzees, but she was a sure if a deliberate 

 climber. During the first eighteen months of her residence 

 she played constantly with " Charlie," who used to swing 

 on the rope, deal her a sportive blow and then quickly 

 get out of her reach. In these mock combats she rarely 

 seemed to lose her temper, but the habit of drumming with 

 the fists on the breast, as a kind of challenge, was noted 

 early, in relation to the controversy that has raged among 

 naturalists about this particular action in Gorillas. Both 



