FURTHER DESCRIPTION OF /FRICA. 261 



much in request that twenty-five dollars is paid for a fine specimen. 

 The most interesting animals of these countries are beyond all 

 doubt the gorilla and the chimpanzee. The gorilla is the largest 

 of the man-like apes, an animal rather shorter, but considerably 

 more broad-shouldered than a strong man. Although the gorilla 

 was mentioned more than 2,000 years ago, b}- Hanno, the com- 

 mander of a Carthaginian fleet, it is even now very imperfectly 

 known. If the statements respecting the strength and savageness 

 of the gorilla are only half true, there is little propsect of ever being 

 able to bring over full-grown specimens to America ; and the young 

 gorilla presented to the zoological garden of Berlin unfortunately 

 fell a victim to the foreign climate. Even the skin and skeleton, as 

 well as the remains of the gorilla, preserved in spirits, are ranked 

 among the greatest treasures of our Natiu-al History Museums. 



THE FAMOUS CHIMPANZEE. 



The second representative of the African nmn-like apes is 

 comparatively freciuent, and is well-known under tiie name of the 

 chimpanzee, though few full-grown specimens have been brought 

 to this continent; it is much smaller, slenderer, and more elegantly 

 built than the gorilla, and often measures sixty inches in length. 

 While the gorilla frequents the densest woods, and is only found in 

 the lands near the coast, the ch.imoanzee inhabits tlic whole of the 

 West African sub-division, and seems to prefer being near the open 

 clearings of the forests ; both kinds of ape feed principall}' on fruits, 

 nuts, and the 3^oung shoots of trees, perhaps also on roots. 



As to the mental c|ualities of the chimpanzee in captivity, much 

 has been written, and it is agreed that the animal may be ranked 

 among the most highly gifted of its race. It not only learns to 

 know its master, to love its friends, and avoid its enemies; it is not 

 only inquisitive, but actually desirous of knowledge. Any object 

 which has once excited its attention increases in value as soon as it 

 has learned how to use it; the chimpanzee is cunning, self-willed, 

 but not stubborn, desiring what is good for itself, betraying humor 

 and caprices; one day cheerful ond excited, another depressed and 

 sullen. 



