176 



Quadrupeds. 



THE GORILLA. (Troglodytes Gorilla.) 



THIS wonderful Ape, which has lately been discovered in 

 the same region inhabited by the Chimpanzee, is thought, 

 in some respects, to possess even a greater resemblance to 

 our own species. He is said to attain a height of seven 

 feet, but the largest specimens hitherto obtained have 

 been rather less than six feet high. By some travellers 

 the Gorilla is said <-o walk upright, with his hands rest- 

 ing on the nape of his neck, but the state of his knuckles 

 shows that he usually goes, like the Chimpanzee, on all 

 fours. His skin is covered with short grizzled hair, and 

 the naked skin of his face and hands is black. The 

 Gorilla is much dreaded by the negroes who have to 

 pass through the forests frequented by him when 

 engaged in hunting the Elephant ; this is not on account 

 of his teeth, although they are sufficiently formidable, 

 but of the enormous strength of his hands, with which 

 he can strangle a man in a moment, and it is even said 

 that the old males never miss an opportunity of perform- 

 ing this operation, It is even said, that as a party of 

 hunters is passing through the forest, one of their 

 number will sometimes disappear suddenly, being caught 

 up by a Gorilla lurking upon the low branches of a tree ; 

 the monster speedily strangles his victim and then lets 

 the body fall. 



