236 ON THE NATURAL HISTORY 



remained upon the tree with her offspring, watching 

 intently the movements of the hunter. As he took aim, 

 she motioned with her hand, precisely in the manner of 

 a human being, to have him desist and go away. When 

 the wound has not proved instantly fatal, they have been 

 known to stop the flow of blood by pressing with the 

 hand upon the part, and when this did not succeed, to 

 apply leaves and grass. . . . When shot, they give a 

 sudden screech, not unlike that of a human being in 

 sudden and acute distress." 



The ordinary voice of the Chimpanzee, however, is 

 affirmed to be hoarse, guttural, and not very loud, some- 

 what like " whoo-whoo " (1. c. p. 365). 



The analogy of the Chimpanzee to the Orang, in its 

 nest-building habit and in the mode of forming its nest, 

 is exceedingly interesting ; while, on the other hand, the 

 activity of this ape, and its tendency to bite, are particulars 

 in which it rather resembles the Gibbons. In extent of 

 geographical range, again, the Chimpanzees which are 

 found from Sierra Leone to Congo remind one of the 

 Gibbons, rather than of either of the other man-like 

 apes ; and it seems not unlikely that, as is the case with 

 the Gibbons, there may be several species spread over 

 the geographical area of the genus. 



The same excellent observer, from whom I have borrowed 

 the preceding account of the habits of the adult Chimpanzee, 

 published, fifteen years ago,* an account of the GORILLA, 

 which has, in its most essential points, been confirmed 

 by subsequent observers, and to which so very little has 

 really been added, that in justice to Dr. Savage I give it 

 almost in full. 



" It should be borne in mind that my account is based 

 upon the statements of the aborigines of that region (the 

 Gaboon). In this connection, it may also be proper for 

 me to remark, that having been a missionary resident 

 for several years, studying, from habitual intercourse, the 

 African mind and character, I felt myself prepared to 

 discriminate and decide upon the probability of their 

 statements. Besides, being familiar with the history and 

 habits of its interesting congener (Trog. niger, Geoff.)* I 

 was able to separate their accounts of the two animals, 

 which, having the same locality and a similarity of habit, 



* Notice of the external characters and habits of Troglodytes 

 Gorilla. Boston Journal of Natural Historu, 1847. 



