ON A CHIMPANZEE KEPT IN THE OPEN AIR. 223 



Animals in relation to the serious damage caused by them to the 

 timbers of wooden ships and to piers, and to the masonry of 

 breakwaters and similar constructions. 



In the absence of Mr. George Jennison, the Secretary 

 exhibited a series of lantern-slides of a Chimpanzee, the property 

 of Dr. K. Butter, of Cannock, Stafibrdshire, which had been 

 successfully kept alive in the open air in England for eight years. 

 In a short note accompanying the slides Mr. Jennison gave the 

 following particulars : — 



" Members of the Society will be interested in the nnique 

 success of Dr. K. Butter at Cannock, Staffordshire, in keeping a 

 Chimpanzee in the open air in England without artificial heat for 

 eight years. The doctor, who is a keen naturalist and the possessor 

 in normal times of a fine and varied collection of animals and 

 birds, purchased Antony the chimpanzee in question [Anthro- 

 popithecus troglodytes niger) at Liverpool in 1910. He was told 

 that the animal was from the Congo region and was three years 

 old, but as it weighed only 14 lbs. it was probably younger. 

 It weighed last summer 84 lbs. Antony was kept during the 

 whole period in a brick building facing south-west, slept in straw 

 and had no artificial heat, summer or winter ; he made good use 

 of the swings and perches in the exercise pen and took great 

 interest in trying, not always unsuccessfully, to break them. 

 He was very fond of Dr. Butter's dog and delighted to play with 

 and pull it about, and he would also play for hours with the 

 tame ocelots. Ladies and strange animals he disliked, but 

 without showing any vindictive feeling towards them ; injuries 

 he resented and remembered. 



As is the case with most chimpanzees he recognized few 

 masters, only the doctor and the chaufieur could command his 

 obedience ; with them he could be trusted at liberty and naturally 

 enjoyed much freedom. His dietar}', in which there was no 

 meat, consisted of milk, milk and bread, tea, coftee, cocoa which 

 he liked very sweet, bread with jam or black treacle, nnts, 

 locust beans of Avhich he ate great quantities, all kinds of fruit, 

 carrots, turnips, potatoes raw or boiled in their jackets, and 

 water to drink. Asa luxury he had grapes or raisins and sweets 

 of all kinds, especial!}^ toftee and chocolates." 



May 13th, 1919. 



Prof. Ernest W. MacBride, D.Sc, F.R.S., Vice-President, 

 in the Chair. 



The Secretary exhibited two photographs of a living Okapi, 

 and stated that the animal had been in the possession of its 



