IGNORANCE CONCERNING GORILLAS 



tree, and he covers the surface with more big leaves of the 

 same kind. 



The Dyaks believe that the animal makes himself a fresh 

 bed every night, but Mr. Wallace thinks if that were so the 

 nests would be much more common than they appear to he. 

 In passing through the forests, however, one may come upon 

 a dozen of them in a single day, so it is just possible that 

 the Dyaks are correct in their opinion, for in spite of the 

 sheltered position in which these loosely made platforms are 

 placed, the strong winds must at last blow them to pieces. 



If you observe an orang as he lies sleeping, with legs 

 drawn up and folded arms, you will be able to judge how 

 nicely the bed we have described is proportioned to his size. 



The Gorilla (Gorilla, savagei) appears to make a bed of 

 reed-like herbage on the ground or on the trunk of a large 

 tree at a distance of a few feet from the earth. It was 

 stated by a German traveller, Herr von Koppenfels, that 

 this creature constructed a sort of nest in the trees by bend- 

 ing boughs together and covering them with moss and twigs. 

 On this couch the female and young were stated to pass the 

 night, the male remaining at the foot of the tree to guard 

 them from the attacks of leopards. This account, how- 

 ever, does not receive support from other travellers, and 

 we have still much to learn concerning the habits of these 

 huge creatures the largest and most powerful of the apes. 



