142 SPECIAL EXPRESSIONS: Chap. V. 



once did I see a very slight frown. On another occasion, 

 I tickled the nose of a chimpanzee with a straw, and as 

 it crumpled up its face, slight vertical furrows appeared 

 between the eyebrows. I have never seen a frown on the 

 forehead of the orang. 



The gorilla, when enraged, is described as erecting 

 its crest of hair, throwing down its under lip, dilating 

 its nostrils, and uttering terrific yells. Messrs. Savage 

 and Wyman 19 state that the scalp can be freely moved 

 backwards and forwards, and that when the animal is 

 excited it is strongly contracted; but I presume that 

 they mean by this latter expression that the scalp is low- 

 ered; for they likewise speak of the young chimpanzee, 

 when crying out, " as having the eyebrows strongly con- 

 tracted." The great power of movement in the scalp 

 of the gorilla, of many baboons and other monkeys, de- 

 serves notice in relation to the power possessed by some 

 few men, either through reversion or persistence, of vol- 

 untarily moving their scalps. 20 



Astonishment, Terror. — A living fresh-water turtle 

 was placed at my request in the same compartment in 

 the Zoological Gardens with many monkeys; and they 

 showed unbounded astonishment, as well as some fear. 

 This was displayed by their remaining motionless, star- 

 ing intently with widely opened eyes, their eyebrows 

 being often moved up and down. Their faces seemed 

 somewhat lengthened. They occasionally raised them- 

 selves on their hind-legs to get a better view. They often 

 retreated a few feet, and then turning their heads over 

 one shoulder, again stared intently. It was curious to 

 observe how much less afraid they were of the turtle 

 than of a living snake which I had formerly placed in 



19 Boston Journal of Nat. Hist. 1845--47, vol. v. p. 423. 

 On the Chimpanzee, ibid. 1843—44, vol. iv. p. 365. 



20 See on this subject, ' Descent of Man,' vol. i. p. 20. 



