GORILLA 209 



lengthens, not, however, giving an increased capacity for the brain, 

 for this does not increase either in weight or size, the bony structure 

 alone monopolizing the increase in growth, the huge crest appears in 

 the male, the facial region lengthens and the orbital ridges increase, 

 producing the scowling visage characteristic of the creature. Alto- 

 gether it is the head of a brute, whose instincts are bestial, and out- 

 wardly without a vestige of resemblance to man beyond the possession 

 of organs similar to his in appearance. 



There have been a number of species and races described at 

 various times, on, what must be considered as very inadequate material, 

 for it is not easy to secure specimens in sufficient numbers and of 

 various ages, to obtain the necessary knowledge of the coloring of 

 the pelage from infancy to old age, and also the differences which 

 may exist caused by the sex of the individual. A number of the 

 races, accepted at present, rely mainly if not entirely for their dis- 

 tinctive characters on the color of their pelage and its method of 

 distribution, but this may be caused entirely by the age of the indi- 

 vidual, and it appears to be the general opinion of those who have had 

 any experience with the wild Gorilla, that the older the male is the 

 grayer he becomes, until, if he lives long enough, he is almost entirely 

 gray, being then in a pelage resembling that of the very adult specimen 

 in the Berlin Museum from Mokbe, southern Cameroon. It will 

 require a large series of examples from youth to old age to exhibit 

 the changes that take place during life, before this can be definitely 

 ascertained, and the distinctive value of the present accepted races 

 can only then be decided. 



The crania of the Gorillas vary in a most extraordinary degree, 

 even among individuals from similar, even the same localities ; and it 

 is only equalled among the Primates by the crania of the other great 

 Apes, the Ourangs and Chimpanzees. 



It can safely be asserted that there are no cranial characters that 

 can be depended upon for specific or even racial differences, for when 

 one skull would seem to possess them another from an individual 

 taken in the same locality would not have them. Of course the crania 

 of the three genera of the great Apes can be distinguished at a glance, 

 but, the species or race to which an individual of one of these belongs, 

 cannot be determined by a critical examination, and this, in every case 

 would prove a failure if the locality from which the skull came was 

 unknown, and even if this should be ascertained, such as "Cameroon," 

 it would be extremely doubtful if it was attributed to the proper race, 

 no skin accompanying it, or if the latter was in a pelage, probably 



