264 PROFESSOR OWEN ON THE EXTERNAL CHARACTERS 



mostly on the ground ; and Mr. du Chaillu, in accordance with my inference from the 

 state of the hair in the specimens which I had examined in 1859', testifies that the 

 male " sleeps seated with his back against the tree-trunk." 



The voice of the male Gorilla is a very loud " barking roar :" " it begins with a sharp 

 bark, like an angry dog, then glides into a deep-bass roll like distant thunder along the 

 sky, for which I have sometimes mistaken it when I did not see the animal. So deep 

 is it, that it seems to proceed less from the mouth and throat than from the deep chest 

 and vast paunch^." 



The capacity of chest, girdled by an extra pair of ribs, gives countenance to this 

 testimony of the power and quality of voice. 



The female and young scream when alarmed, and the mother utters also a low kind 

 of cluck to call or warn her young one. The Gorilla is not gregarious : it is mono- 

 gamous : but one female is found with the male, and he is often companionless. 

 " Young Gorillas I found sometimes in companies of five or less, but never more^." 

 " The young always run off, on all-fours, shrieking with fear. They are difficult to 

 approach, as their hearing is acute." "The adult animal is also shy. When the 

 mother runs off from the hunter, the young one grasps her about the neck and hangs 

 beneath her breasts with its little legs about her body''." 



The absence of the Lion in the Gorilla-forests leaves this powerful Ape the mastery 

 of his habitat, if, indeed, his presence may not account for the absence of the so-called 

 " king of beasts." 



The tracks of the Gorillas observed by Mr. du Chaillu showed that they went on all- 

 fours, with evidence of occasional rest, as when tempted by wild sugar-cane or other 

 favourite food ; and he describes it as the usual mode of progression. The body is carried 

 half erect, the hind legs moved with a swing between the arms, as on crutches, and 

 those somewhat bowed outward^ (PI. XLIV. fig. 1). The hind feet leave no traces of any 

 of the toes, except the great inner one or ' hallux.' The broad impressions of the digital 

 callosities of the fore-hand leave slight marks of their distinctness. When alarmed, 

 the hind limbs take a greater share in flight ; but the body is inclined forward, and no 

 doubt the fore limbs assist in the more rapid movement. When progressing on the 

 lower limbs only, the " walk is a waddle from side to side :" these being somewhat 

 inadequate to the proper support of the huge superincumbent body, he balances him- 

 self by swinging his arms, or clasping them behind the head. 



When so pursued as to be driven to stand at bay, the Gorilla, like the Bear, raises 

 himself on his hind feet, with his powerful arms and hands free for the combat. In this 

 predicament Mr. du Chaillu afiirms that the creature " offers defiance by beating his breast 

 with his huge fists, till it resounds like a bass-drum^." There is nothing in the struc- 



' Proc. Zool. Soc, January 1859, p. 19. 



' Du Chaillu, ' Explorations and Adventures in Equatorial Africa,' p. 70. ' Ibid. 



' lb. p. 352. ' lb. p. 352. ' lb. p. 70. 



