THE CHIMPANZEES. 1 93 



of those who take part in the dreary noise, but often we seemed 

 to hear more than a hundred." (^Fec hue I- Lose he,) These Apes 

 also build resting-places, not far from the ground, like the 

 Orangs, composed of twigs and sticks on the branch of a tree 

 or a crotch, in which the female and her young take refuge for 

 the night, the male placing himself on guard beneath. 



They seldom make an unprovoked attack on the natives 

 wandering in the forest ; on the contrary, they are peaceably 

 disposed animals, glad to get out of the way of danger or 

 possible enemies. Yet, when pressed, they form no mean 

 antagonist. Biting is their principal mode of defence. 



"As seen here," says Savage, "they cannot be called gre- 

 garious, seldom more than five or ten at most being found 

 together. It has been said on good authority, that they 

 occasionally assemble in large numbers in gambols. My in- 

 formant asserts that he saw once not less than fifty so engaged, 

 hooting, screaming, and drumming with sticks upon old logs, 

 which is done in the latter case with equal facility by the four 

 extremities. . . . When at rest, the sitting posture is that 

 generally assumed. They are sometimes seen standing or 

 walking, but when thus detected, they immediately take to all 

 fours, and flee from the presence of the observer. Such is 

 their organisation that they cannot stand erect, but lean 

 forward. Hence they are seen, when standing, with the hands 

 clasped over the occiput, or the lumbar region, which would 

 seem necessary for balance or ease of posture." 



Most of the accounts of the habits we have of Chimpanzees, 

 refer to those of young individuals kept in captivity. There is 

 still much to be discovered as to the ways and modes of life 

 of the adults of both the Chimpanzee and the Gorilki, They 

 are both very delicate, and m temperate climates rarely live 

 3 v. 2 o 



