4 NATURAL HISTORY. 



The habitually erect posture is another characteristic of 

 mankind. Other animals are not fitted for it ; since, when they 

 attempt to assume that position, their head is thrust so far 

 forward that its weight destroys their balance, and the bones 

 of the leg and the pelvis are so formed as to give them a 

 tottering gait. When the ape attempts to stand erect, it 

 balances itself by its immensely long arms, which reach to 

 the feet, and assists itself along by the hands pressed on the 

 ground. Perhaps the word "feet" should not have been 

 used, as the ape has no feet, properly so called, as another 

 pair of hands supply the place of those members. The 

 length and position of the fingers on these hinder hands, 

 prevent the ape from planting more than the heel upon the 

 ground. It therefore hobbles along with its body bent, and 

 at best can only contrive to manage an uncertain and 

 vacillating shuffle ; nor does it ever walk so well or so grace- 

 fully in the erect posture as many of the performers at Astley's 

 cb on their hands, which are apparently less fitted for walking 

 than those of the ape. 



The power of the thumb is much greater in man than in 

 the apes ; it is by means of this instrument that man is able 

 to handle large or small objects, to wield a sword or a pen, 

 to cast a spear or thread a needle. There are many other 

 anatomical differences which need not be described. 



The intellectual power in man shows its supremacy over 

 the instinct of the ape in many ways. We will take as our 

 example of mankind, the most abject of the human race, the 

 Bosjesman as represented at the commencement of this 

 chapter. Surely this is not the act of an ape. No ape or 

 monkey was ever able to manufacture weapons for itself. It 

 may, indeed, take up a stick or a stone and defend itself 

 vigorously, but it could never form a bow and arrow, much 

 less reflect that the juices of certain plants rubbed on the points 

 of its weapons would cause inevitable death to any animal 

 wounded by them. Yet the diminutive Bosjesman, who is 

 far lower in intellect, and much less civilized than the calum- 

 niated Negro, boldly attacks, with perfect certainty of success, 

 an animal before which the most intelligent ape that ever lived 

 would fly in helpless terror. 



Neither can an ape procure fire, nor even renew it. It will 



