46 Skeleton of the Gorilla. 



such a position. The head is not balanced upon the top of 

 the spine, but is upheld by large muscles attached to the 

 enormous cervical spines. The spine is not more curved 

 than that of an elephant, and the knee joints, except when the 

 powerful and peculiar adductors, similar in macaque, are put 

 in action, are too much separated for other than a quadru- 

 pedal walk. Of the erect position of the gorilla Du Chaillu 

 says : ' His manner of approach gave me an opportunity to 

 see with how much diificulty he supports himself in the erect 

 posture. His short and slender legs are not able firmly to 

 sustain the vast body. They totter beneath the weight, and 

 the walk is a sort of waddle, in which the long arms are 

 used, in a clumsy way, to balance {he body, and keep up 

 the ill-sustained equilibrium. Twice he sat down to roar, 

 evidently not trusting himself to this exertion while stand- 

 ing.' Again : * I have frequently observed the fact that the 

 gorilla is not able to preserve himself for any considerable 

 length of time in the erect attitude.' Old Andrew Battel 

 says, speaking of the pongo, which was most likely the 

 gorilla : * He differeth not from man but in his legs ; for 

 they have no calfe. Hee goeth always upon his legs, and 

 carrieth his hands clasped in the nape of his necke when he 

 goeth upon the ground.' There seems to me some truth 

 here, for this position of the arms, the head being thrown 

 back, would greatly assist in raising and supporting his 

 enoTiinous belly. As to the occasional contradictions in all the 

 descriptions of the habits of this animal it is not to be 

 wondered at, seeing that, according to Mr. Ford, ' when he 

 hears, sees, or scents a man, he ftnmediately utters his 

 characteristic cry, prepares for an attack, and always acts 

 on the offensive.' 1 have thus brought before you as 

 many of -the chief points in the anatomy of the Gorilla 

 as time and opportunity would permit. I am at a loss 

 to comprehend what are ordinal characters, if those seen 

 in the skull, teeth, pelvis, organs oj generation and of 

 progression are not — characters which, taken together, 

 prove the gorilla as much one of the great natural group 

 of quadrumanous, or, more correctly speaking, cheiropodous 

 animals, as they separate him and them from Man. With 

 so distinguished a naturalist piresent as Professor M'Coy, 

 let us hope that additional light may be thrown upon 

 this subject this evening " 



