ORDER PRIMATES: PRIMATES 175 



of one animal I secured, live, in my opinion, to be a much greater 

 age than man" (Barns, 1923, p. 132). 



"The natives of this region have no fear of the gorilla. . . . Some 

 of my guides and my gun bearer were trappers and hunters in the 

 gorilla forests and were thoroughly familiar with them. At no time 

 did the guides or gun boys show any indication of anything more 

 than casual interest even when we approached very close to 

 gorillas." (Akeley, 1923a, pp. 438-439.) Akeley continues (p. 447) : 



After my first expedition into the gorilla country, I am more convinced 

 than ever not only that the gorilla is one of the most fascinating and impor- 

 tant objects of study in the realm of natural history, but also that his dis- 

 position is such as to permit the most intimate observation of his habits. 

 ... A few weeks of casual acquaintance and one is fired with a desire to 

 ferret out the answers to a hundred questions about this little-known relative 

 of man questions of increasing importance to scientists and physicians in 

 their efforts to understand and aid man himself. Probably no other project 

 of so moderate a size is likely to lead to such immediate and valuable scien- 

 tific results as that which will make of the Kivu region a sanctuary, where 

 the gorillas under the protection of man may grow more and more accustomed 

 to human beings and where through a series of years they may be observed 

 and studied. 



On the three mountains, Mikeno, Karisimbi, and Visoke, "I judge 

 that there are between fifty and one hundred animals altogether" 

 (Akeley, 1923b ; p. 248). 



Akeley's efforts led to the establishment of the Pare National 

 Albert, comprising the Kivu volcanoes and providing for the special 

 protection of the Mountain Gorillas. Meanwhile Burbridge had 

 estimated their numbers at 1,000 to 2,000 individuals. Their range 

 extends beyond the volcano region to the bamboo forests dominating 

 the highlands of the Great Lakes. (Leplae, 1925, pp. 15, 19.) 



According to Derscheid (1928, pp. 154-159), the animals are 

 especially numerous at elevations between 2,700 and 3,500 m., with 

 extreme occurrences at 1,900 and 3,900 m. He has met with a few 

 solitary old males, but more usually with bands of 7 to 43 indi- 

 viduals. He estimates the number on the central massif (Mikeno- 

 Karisimbi-Bishoke) at 350 to 500; on the eastern massif (southern 

 slopes of Muhabura, Sebyinyo, and Mugahinga) at 150 to 200; and 

 in the Uganda portion of the region (northern slopes of the three 

 volcanoes just mentioned) at 100 to 150. He also remarks on the 

 surprisingly small proportion of young animals among the Gorillas 

 observed. 



"During our two months stay among the different peaks of the 

 Birunga Range we observed several herds of Gorillas. The largest 

 of these herds consisted of about 20-30 individuals .... In all 

 about 70 examples were seen by the members of the Expedition. 

 . . . Their stronghold seems ... to be the mountain triangle com- 

 posed of Mikeno, Karissimbi and Vissoke. They are mostly found 



