October 22, 1886.] 



SCIENCE. 



375 



with which such re-unions are held. In Africa 

 the apes, on such occasions, collect sticks, and 

 make a noise by hammering on the trees : the 

 analogy with primitive music-making is sufficient- 

 ly evident. 



The Chinese tell of a species of ape that ac- 

 companies the body of a deceased member to its 

 final resting-place, but this may be doubted. 

 The Caffres of Africa, however, do not take the 

 trouble of burying their dead, except in the case 

 of chiefs or children. 



Weapons and contests. — Apes, like men, fight 

 and kill one another. The leader is the one who 

 has shown his strength. When the male gorillas 

 grow up, and have gained the full degree of then- 

 power, they attack the old ones, and do not leave 

 the field until the issue has been decided. The 

 abandoning of the aged is a custom ia many 

 tribes. Herodotus records it of certain people of 

 Scythia. The gap between the lowest human 

 morality and that of animals is small indeed. 



Their fights are mostly hand to hand, with an 

 active use of their canines, though some species 

 very seldom bite. The Spartans are said to have 

 fought with tooth and nail when deprived of their 

 arms. The gorilla's method of attack is most 

 nearly human. He raises a cry like the war- 

 whoop of savages, and, beating his breast with 

 his hands, rushes with savage ferocity upon his 

 antagonist. With the exception of the gorilla, 

 the quadrumana fear man, but do not hesitate to 

 attack him in self-defence. 



The hurling of projectiles, whether lances, 

 tomahawks, or clubs, and so on, is common to 

 aU savages, and is likewise found among apes. 

 They tear otf branches of trees and use them as 

 arms, or take refuge in the trees and hurl fruit at 

 their enemy. This means of attack is found even 

 in high degrees of civilization, as in the middle 

 ages, and is made use of by animals (e.g., ele- 

 phants) lower in the animal scale. 



Friendship, enmities, etc. — Individual prefer- 

 ences can be observed among apes at any zoologi- 

 cal garden. Their affection for their keepers is 

 well known. They have aversions too, sharing 

 with man the dread of snakes. Tribal enmities 

 are also observed : the orang-outang has an in- 

 stinctive animosity against almost all other apes. 

 Similar feuds abound in savage tribes. Apes 

 readily show temper, and have often been com- 

 pared to spoiled children. Their anger is ex- 

 pressed by cries and wild gesticulations. 



Apes readily drink wine when it is given them, 

 and quite as readily drink to excess. Their con- 

 duct, when inebriated, is closely similar to that of 

 man in the same condition. 



Though antipathies are common between apes 



of different species, friendly assistance is often 

 shown among apes of the same species. They 

 join to ward off a common danger. The hand is 

 the great means of giring aid : we have the ex- 

 pression ' to lend a hand.' It is true in a general 

 way that species provided with organs of appre- 

 hension are sociable. Apes often plan attacks on 

 orchards, etc. , reach inaccessible places by form- 

 ing a living chain and bridging themselves over, 

 and seem to delight in the act of theft. They 

 have been observed to take care of the wounded, 

 to wash and cover their wounds with leaves, and 

 to nurse them. 



Intelligence. — The possession of acute sensi- 

 bility for foreseeing danger, and the like, is a com- 

 mon animal trait, not wanting in apes. The simi- 

 lar sagacity of savages, e.g., our own Indians, is 

 weU known. Apes soon learn the danger of fire- 

 arms ; and the story is told of one who dropped 

 from a tree when he saw that his assailants were 

 armed, apparently givmg himself up as dead. 



An ape's curiosity and power of fixed attention 

 are well known : these quaUties are necessary to 

 make a good imitation. In several cases they 

 have observed the use of a lock and key, and 

 made use of their knowledge in secret. Chim- 

 panzees have been taught to eat with a knife and 

 fork, and learn similar human customs. Their 

 tendency to pilfer is another point in common 

 with savages and children. 



Industry. — Man has been called the tool-using 

 animal ; but apes have been observed to use a 

 stone for opening nuts too hard for their teeth. 

 Erasmus Darwin tells of an old ape who had lost 

 his teeth, and always used a stone to open nuts. 



Apes can be taught to mount and guide horses 

 and dogs ; and one traveller tells a story of an 

 ape who learned this of his own accord, thus re- 

 minding one of the savage's method of procm-ing 

 horses. Humboldt records similar observations. 

 The stories of apes kindling fires are unreliable, 

 though they often keep up fires deserted by natives 

 or travellers. 



Domestic services. — Apes have been used for 

 caiTying water and as bearers of messages. A 

 French officer teUs of the services of a chimpanzee 

 aboard ship. It helped turn the capstan, climbed 

 the masts, tied the ropes, and performed other 

 functions. But only a few species are adapted 

 for such an education. 



Richard Owen, comparing the psychic condition 

 of a chimpanzee with that of a Bushman or an 

 idiot, finds no clear dividing-mark. It is only a 

 difference of degree. Agassiz finds a complete 

 resemblance between the mental faculties of an 

 infant and of a young chimpanzee. It is only by 

 the greater development of the former that it 



