191 7- Carpenter — Notes on the Dublin Gorilla. 129 



Falkenstein and Grabovsky regard this habit as an expres- 

 sion of satisfaction. When " Charhe " was absent, she 

 would also sometimes beat her breast or clap her hands, 

 and she seemed to derive much amusement from rolling 

 an iron dish about on the iloor. Fondness for knocking 

 about metal vessels was noticed by observers as a character- 

 istic of one of the Berlin Gorillas. 



When in repose, " Empress's " face had a placid and 

 benign aspect, and there was a strikingly wistful expression 

 in her fine dark eyes, of which the sclerotic coats showed 

 a creamy hue. This expression is well caught in Mr. Allen's 

 photograph (PL III.) which brings out the increased wrink- 

 ling of the skin that became apparent during her last year. 

 When she was pleased or amused, her expression broadened 

 into a grin which was hardly distinguishable from the aspect 

 of her countenance when angry ; this is shown in Plate V., 

 a picture taken by Mr. Allen a few seconds before she 

 opened her mouth to emit a cry of rage. Such exhibitions 

 were, however, very rare ; her characteristic sound was a 

 deep grunt of satisfaction, contrasting strongly with the 

 shrill outcry of the Chimpanzee or the high-pitched notes 

 of the Hoolock Gibbon in the adjoining cage. " Empress " , 

 was an easy animal to m.anage, affectionate and amiable 

 without any kind of vice. When retiring for the night 

 " Empress " used to make a kind of nest in the straw at 

 the corner of her cage. Here she lay down to sleep often 

 with one arm supporting her head. 



From the beginning of her residence, she developed a 

 great fancy for chewing straws, choosing a piece with the 

 deliberation of a person of nice taste. This habit led to 

 an attack of actinomj^cosis evidenced by a swelling on the 

 back of the neck, but this disease yielded to treatment, 

 with regard to which the Gorilla was very docile. She 

 was willing to take any kind of medicine that might be 

 prescribed by one of her several " physicians in ordinary." 

 Supple remarked that she showed great intelHgence in 

 responding to his wishes in these matters, and that her 

 leading motive in drinking a dose seemed to be a desire 

 to please him. 



During the last year of her life, " Empress " became 



