TROGLODYTES NICER, THE CHIMPANZEE 



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of .urrat |n\, wIumi mtx ;j:i)(kI lood was in-m^^ proNick-cl, onr ol the animals 

 oltfii sc'i/A'd aiintluT and shonk hini out ol slu'cr pleasure. At lirst one ol the 

 annuals would taki' a stiek uiidi.'i' sueh proxociition and llnii^ it \ehc-niently 

 at one ol the ehnnpanzees m his or her pro\iniit\. This also freciuently 

 hap[)ened ni pla\', part leularlv with the athlelie I em ale Chiea, w ho was in the 

 habit ol eret'pm^ up hehnid one ol her eompanions as tlu'v sat c|uieti\- at rest 

 and, Irom lairl\- elose cpiarters, hurhn^ a stiek, and then takmg llight. Prom 

 throwing stieks it was hut a short step to usiiiiz; handluls ol sand m this 

 manner, and linall\' stones ol \aried size and weijzht. At lirst the Lhimpanzecs 

 were not e\[)ert m these ballistie aeti\ities. Bem^ dedeient in the eoordma- 

 tion ol hand, head and eyes, the\' did not succeed in \'ery accurate aim. 

 Soon the throwing of stones became such a rulin<i; passion among the chim- 

 panzees that some ol them became dangerously expert, particularl\ the 

 gymnastic Chica, who learned to aim e.\cellentl\ and exprt'ssed her skill with 

 equal satisfaction uj^on her lellow apes as well as lu'r human associates. 



These perlormances, whii'h were largel\' in the nature ol play and 

 amusement, were by no means the only ones by which ihv chimpanzees 

 showed a strong tendenc\' for manipulating w ith considerable skill objects in 

 their surroundings. All of the animals made nests, and this was true from the 

 early periods of infancy onward. V\\v full-grown chimpanzee, as might be 

 expected, [)articularl\ the lull-gi'own lemale, has the best resLilts m this nest- 

 building and reall\ does most remarkaliU' work in this line. Usuall\ in the 

 evening, a heap of straw is carelull\ manipulated while the animal sits 

 inside and begins to twist the ends of the straw together. This work will 

 continue all around the edge Lintil an actual nest is lormed which is not 

 unlike that of the stork. .\ blanket ma\- oftt'ii be interwoxen with the straw, 

 or used as a co\er over it. The younger animals, in their nest-making, are 

 less tidy and exact. The\ seldom make so neat a turning down ol the outer 

 edges. But, on some occasions when the\' apparently take more |)ains with 



