CLASS I. MAMMALIA: ORDER 2. QU ADIIUM AN A. 



61 



Genus CHIMPANZEE, or Kimpanze, Troglodytes. — Of tins genus there are two species — the 

 common Chimpanzee and the Gorilla. 



The Chimpanzee, Troglodytes niger — sometimes called the Black Orang — is a native of Guinea 

 and the adjacent country, and has been long known in Europe. It is more like the human 

 species than any other of the animal tribes. " Indeed, every one," says M. Boitard, " on observing 

 a chimpanzee for the first time, is struck with his great 

 resemblance to mankind, not only in his form, but in 

 his actions, his gestures, and even some of his habits. 

 The various names he has received in his native coun- 

 try are proofs of this fact. The negroes call him Pongo, 

 which is also the name of one of their great fetiches, a 

 sort of forest genius ; in Angola, they call him cojas 

 morros, which in their language signifies Man of the 

 forest ; in Congo, he is called the Eujoko, which in the 

 language of the country is the imperative of the verb 

 to hold one's tongue— that is, ' Eujoko, hold your 

 tongue I 1 We conceive the origin of the name, in the 

 'fact that the negroes of Congo imagine that the chim- 

 panzee does not speak because he does not wish to do 

 so, for he fears he should be made a slave, and forced 

 to work. But all these words are merely epithets added 

 to the word kimpanze, under which title he is known to 

 all the natives on the coast of Guinea. The traveler 

 Lecat calls the name kimpczcy, and G. Cuvier chim- 

 panzee We may further remark, that the chimpanzee 

 is the onlv one of the quadrumaua that can walk erect 

 with tolerable ease. 



Its nose is quite flat, and the nostrils open upward. 

 The mouth is w r ide, and the lips thin. The ears are 

 large, thin, and naked. Its height is about four and 

 rt half or five feet, when it stands up ; its body is cov- 

 ered with black hair, except the face, which is nearly naked, and approaches the color of flesh. 

 In youth, the shape of its skull greatly resembles that of man, but as it advances in age, the facial 

 angle grows more acute, until at full maturity it resembles that of the baboon. Its character 

 seems to undergo corresponding changes, for while young it is gentle and docile, yet becomes 

 fierce and intractable when it has attained its full growth, — a remark that is equally applicable 

 to the other apes. Most of the accounts which we have had of the chimpanzee, giving it a high 

 character for docility and amiableness, have reference to young specimens. 



The habits of this species in a state of nature have been imperfectly known, and hence the sub- 

 ject has been embellished with a multitude of curious marvels. It appears that they live in small 

 troops in the deep forests, and subsist mainly on vegetable food. They construct for themselves huts 

 of branches and leaves, in the trees. These are, however, very slight and rude, and are not roofed 

 over, — a circumstance which subjects them to the scoffs of the negroes. These cabins are only 

 occupied during storms and in cases of sickness. At other times, these creatures sleep in the open 

 air upon the branches of trees, sitting on their hind-legs, the body bent forward and the head 

 resting on the breast. They are, in fact, like other members of the family, arboral animals, 

 though it may be said that the chimpanzee is more at home on the ground than any other 

 species. They run on their lower extremities without difficulty, holding up the arms, or grasping 

 [the thighs with their hands, though this is not their usual mode of progression. 'They are said to 

 unite in pairs. The female is very careful of her youn<r, caressing it with the utmost tenderness. 

 >>ne carries it on her arms, in the manner of a nurse, when she has but a short distance to go ; 

 but if she has a journey to perform, she places the little one on her back, where it clings to its 

 mother precisely in the manner of the little negroes. She is fondly attached to her young ones, 



SKELETON OF CHIMPANZEE. 



