22 ANDREW JACKSON HOWE. 



Simian origin would do well to select the Orang as the 

 progenitor of the human race. 



M. Gratiolet, who has given much attention to 

 the anatomical structure and mental character of apes, 

 regards the brain of the Gorilla as the lowest of all 

 the latisternal apes. In the disposition of the brain of 

 the Gorilla, he says, " there is the culmination of that 

 type of cerebral structure exhibited by j:he relatively 

 brutal and degraded Baboons." 



Professor Rolleston, after declaring the Orang as 

 " king of the Simiadse," expresses himself as follows : 

 " In the world of science as in that of politics, France 

 and England have occasionally differed as to their 

 choice between rival candidates for royalty. If either 

 hereditary claims or personal merits affect at all the 

 rights of succession, beyond a question the Gorilla is 

 but a pretender, and one or the other of the two can- 

 didates the true prince. There is a graceful as well 

 as an ungraceful way of withdrawing from a false 

 position, and the British public will adopt the grace- 

 ful course by accepting forthwith and henceforth the 

 French candidate, and by indorsing M. Gratiolet's 

 proposal for speaking of the Gorilla as but a Baboon, 

 of the Chimpanzee as a Macaque, and of the Orang as 

 a Gibbon." A similar view is held by St. George 

 4 Mivart, who in his late and interesting work entitled 

 " Man and Apes" makes a very close analysis of the 

 man-like features to be observed in the various 

 varieties of the Simian family. He comes out strongly 

 in favor of placing the Orang on the Simian throne. 



Mr. Huxley, in his "Evidence as to Man's Place in 

 Nature" labors to prove that man may have sprung 

 from the Gorilla on the ground that this great ape 

 differs less from the lower grade of mankind than it 



