599.8 26 



II. 



An Introduction to the Study of Anthropoid 

 Apes.-I. The Gorilla. 



IT is possible that the recent addition of a young female gorilla to 

 the Gardens of the Zoological Society of London may lead to a 

 renewed interest in this bulkiest of Primates in the minds of many 

 people; and if the interest aroused be sufficient to induce some of 

 these to become better acquainted with the history of this alleged 

 cousin of the human race, they will find it can be read only by picking 

 their way through the European periodical and academical scientific 

 literature of the last fifty years. Having been working at the 

 anatomy of the higher Primates for a number of years past, and 

 having in that time become acquainted with the better part of the 

 literature dealing with this animal, it occurred to me that a short 

 article, to act not only as a guide to work already done, but also as 

 an index to the lines of future effort, might prove useful to some at 

 the present time. 



The Gorilla in Confinement. — Before getting well into the sub- 

 ject in hand, however, it would be better to dispose of what we know of 

 the gorilla as a visitor to Europe. The example now in the Zoological 

 Gardens is the third of its kind that has lived in England ; its 

 predecessor died after a short stay in the Gardens [Pi'oc. Zool. Soc, 

 1887, P- 559)- The first gorilla came about i860, and spent seven 

 months in a menagerie in the north of England ; its skin and bones 

 are said now to rest in Ushaw College, Durham. It had the mis- 

 fortune to be shown as a chimpanzee. In Pvoc. Zool. Soc, 1877, p. 363, 

 a fine drawing of it by Wolff is given. There have been at least 

 five living gorillas in Germany. Four belonged to the Berlin 

 Aquarium ; Falkenstein's, which cost ;^i,ooo, lived there for fourteen 

 months, and had been in confinement for over three years ; Hermes' 

 example lived two months, but was said to have been in the possession 

 of a native chief for over six years ; the other two lived for very short 

 periods (25, 43, and 47). One lived for a short time in Paris (60). 

 It will be seen that confinement in Europe is quickly fatal to the 

 gorilla ; this probably depends less upon the climate than upon its 

 temperament, which is fierce, intolerant of bonds, and lacking the 

 docility of the easily-confined chimpanzee. 



