,-,-6 THE HIGHER ANTHROPOIDS 



their handhvork, their movements during the preparation of the nest are 

 exactly like those of the older females and the results closely approximate 

 those of the more efTicient workers. The nests are often made during the day 

 in pure fun, and many different materials, such as string, grass, branches, 

 rags, ropes and even wire collected for this purpose, not, however, when a 

 nest is needed to sleep in, but only as a pastime when other objects of interest 

 are lacking. 



Objects of many kinds interested the chimpanzees, and they were not 

 only intent upon the manipulation of them but seemed ])articularl\ lond of 

 carr\ ing cjuite a widely different variety of rubbish about on the body in 

 one way or another. Nearly every day animals could be seen walking about 

 with a ro[)e, a bit of rag, a blade of grass or twig upon then- shoulders. 

 Some of them, if gi\en a bit of metal chain, would put it about their necks 

 c[uite in the manner of a necklace. Bushes and brambles were often carried in 

 considerable quantities, spread out over the entire back, and twigs and pieces 

 of grass were commoiilx seen hanging over their shoulders to the ground or 

 on both sides of the neck. One of the animals contracted the habit of carrying 

 about em|)ly preserve cans, by taking tlu' side that was open between his 

 teeth, while one of the more sturdy of the grou|) took a lancv at one time tor 

 carrying heavy stones about on her back. She began with a stone ot lour 

 pounds but soon reached a much larger block of lava wx'ighing nine pounds. 

 Most of this occuj)ation is earned on as play from w Inch they seem to derive a 

 visible pleasure. \\ lu'ii ornamented in this manner tlu'x Irecjuently dis])lay 

 an almost impish, self-important audacity, strutting about among their 

 companions or advancing u])on them in a menacing way. One ot the older 

 adults, festooned in this maniu'r, trotted around in a circle with several ot 

 the smaller animals following closely behind at her lux'ls. Sometimes the 

 entire company j)laying in this fashion would march around in a circle, one 

 behind the other, the largest animal stamping its loot \ lolently at each stej) 



