130 The Irish Naturalist August, 



abnormally stout and disinclined for exertion. Her back 

 and arms began to show the characteristic development 

 of muscle (PI. V,), but she gave up her climbing, and even 

 " Charlie's " teasing failed to make her play. Another 

 Chimpanzee, " George " by name, larger and older than 

 " Charlie," had been introduced into the partnership, and 

 the Gorilla Uked to sit in the corner of the cage watching 

 with an amused tolerance the gambols of her two com- 

 panions. 



The Gorilla had a good appetite, ate bread, drank milk, 

 and fed freely on deny kind of fruit, with a special liking 

 for ground-nuts ; she was fond also of fresh green-stuff 

 such as lettuce or dandelion. Despite the sluggishness 

 already mentioned, she seemed to continue in good health, 

 but the onset of violent abdominal pains early in May 

 showed that some trouble in the digestive organs had set 

 in. After an apparent improvement the pains returned ; 

 the Gorilla refused all food, and died early in the morning 

 of May 25th. An examination by Professor A. Francis 

 Dixon certified inflammation of the intestinal caecum as 

 the cause of death. Her weight was then 31 lbs., and her 

 height, when standing in the usual attitude with knees bent 

 and body inclined forward, was slightly over two feet. 

 The weight of the Breslau Gorilla is recorded by Grabovsky 

 as 31.5 lbs. on arrival, when that specimen was somewhat 

 younger than " Empress " was at the time of her death. 



During her last few^ days " Empress " lay on the floor of 

 her house, resting on her back or on one side, with limbs 

 strongly flexed and hands clenched, her plaintive eyes 

 turning from point to point, and still expressing satisfaction 

 at the recognition of " Charlie," her companion Chimpanzee. 

 He evinced much concern at the Gorilla's condition, and 

 v/hen, on the morning of her death, his caresses failed to 

 evoke any response he burst into loud cries of grief. The 

 keeper removed her body from the cage and laid it on the 

 floor of the passage alongside, covered with a piece of sacking. 

 " Charlie," when set at liberty, lifted the corner of this 

 sacking, stood for a few moments gazing at his dead friend, 

 and then replaced the cover with seemly reverence. 



Royal College of Science, Dublin. 



