DISTRIBUTION, HABITS, AND NATIVE NAMES. 239 



forth these nnpleasant sounds, which may be heard 

 at a great distance, and are reproduced by the echoes, 

 it is impossible to estimate the number of those 

 who take part in the dreary noise, but often we 

 seemed to hear more than a hundred. They generally 

 remain upon the ground among the dense under- 

 wood and thickets of scitamine, and only climb trees 

 for the sa^e of obtaining fruit. Their track may be 

 plainly discerned on soft ground : they stop short 

 wherever the amomum grows, of which they are very 

 fond, and the red husks of its fruit may be seen 

 scattered all around." The same narrator observes 

 that the mischievous and active sea-cat monkeys, 

 which abound on the Loango, frequently provoke 

 the defenceless chimpanzees by their malicious 

 tricks until the tormented creatures cause the forest 

 to echo with their discordant cries. 



These animals wander about, always in search of 

 fresh feeding-grounds. They also construct nests 

 and, as Koppenfels states, the male passes the night 

 below the nest of his family, which is placed on 

 a forked branch. Du Chaillu asserts that the 

 Nschiego-Mbouve also builds a pent-house. An 

 illustration of this structure, which is only mode- 

 rately successful, and has undoubtedly been em- 

 bellished in London, is given by him. Koppenfels 

 believes that the so-called pent-house is only the 

 family nest, under which the male places himself; 

 while Keichenfels thinks it possible that some 

 parasitic growth, perhaps a Loranthus, gave rise to 

 the belief that such a pent-house is erected. 



When chimpanzees are provoked they strike the 



