28 



APES AND MONKEYS. 



Chimpanzees appear to be continually shifting their haunts in order to find fresh 

 feeding-grounds, and will not unfrequently visit and pillage deserted native 

 plantations. They utter loud cries, which may be heard resounding through the 

 forests at all hours of both day and night. Dr. E. Pechuel-Loesche, who accom- 

 panied the expedition sent to Western Equatorial Africa during the years from 

 1873 to 1875, observes that chimpanzees " are really accomplished in the art of 

 bringing forth these unpleasant sounds, which may be heard at a great distance, 

 and are reproduced by the echoes. It is impossible to estimate the number of 

 those who take part in the horrid noise, but we often seemed to hear more than a, 



THE CHIMPANZEE "MAFUKA." 



hundred. They generally remain upon the ground among the dense underwood 

 and thickets of Amomum (a member of the ginger family) and other scitamineous 

 plants, and only climb trees for the sake of obtaining fruit. Their track may be 

 plainly discerned on soft ground ; they stop short wherever the Amomum grows, 

 of which they are very fond, and the red husks of the fruit of which may be seen 

 strewn around." 



There seems to be no doubt but that chimpanzees build a kind of nest high 

 up in the trees for their families ; and it is stated that the male of the family takes 

 up his position for the night beneath the shelter afforded by the nest. It is 

 probable that this habit has given rise to the idea that these animals construct 

 pent-houses for themselves; an elaborate illustration of such a structure being 

 given in Du Chaillu's Equatorial Africa. 



