350 



Miscellaneous. 



6. An imperfect skeleton, purchased from M. Parzudaki of Paris 

 in 1852. 



The measurements of the several bones of each of these skeletons 

 are given in the following Table. 



They were taken by Mr. Gerrard with a tape, measuring inches 

 and quarters of inches only, but are quite sufficient for a comparison 

 between the specimens themselves, and as affording materials for 

 determining the actual height of the animal. As the largest of these 

 (viz. the Paris specimen photographed for the Trustees of the British 

 Museum by Mr. Fen ton) stands five feet two inches in height, I 

 think we are justified in concluding that to be the extreme natural 

 height of the full-grown animal. 



I do not wish it to be understood that the Gorilla never grows 

 higher, but that we have no evidence that it does ; and the " King of 

 the Gorillas," which we are told was a large full-grown male, cer- 

 tainly did not exceed that height. 



The writer of the 20th and 21st chapters of the 'Explorations and 

 Adventures in Equatorial Africa,' which are written in a very different 

 style from the rest of the book *, and curiously interpolated in the nar- 

 rative of the travels, states that there are some bones in the possession 

 of Dr. Wyman which are much larger than any in M. Du Chaillu's 

 collection ; that he thinks the animal might have been six feet two 

 inches high, if it could stand perfectly upright ; but as the legs are 

 always somewhat bent, and the body thrown forward, " the largest 

 specimen would not appear higher than five feet nine inches." (Pp. 

 354 and 369.) 



It is to be regretted that the measurements of the long bones of the 

 limbs of Dr. Wyman' s imperfect skeleton have not been given. 



* Thus, in the hody of the work, the Troglodytes calvus and T. koolookamba are 

 called new species, but in these chapters they are said to be (and reasons given 

 why) only varieties of the Chimpanzee (see pp. 359, 375, &c). And a supposed 

 peculiarity of the skull of the Koolookamba is said to occur also in the skulls of 

 the Gorilla and Nshiego mbouve (p. 376) ; and there is considerable and correct 

 anatomical knowledge shown, which is quite at variance with the rest of the work, 

 or with the paper that has appeared under M. Du Chaillu's name. 



