ORDEE OP QUADEUMANA. 597 



The Gorilla lives in the loneliest and most sombre parts of the 

 dense forests of Western Africa, either in deep valleys, on rugged 

 heights, or on plateaus covered with large masses of rock. It 

 always keeps near a running stream, but, being essentially a 

 nomadic animal, it rarely remains for many days together in the 

 same place. The reason for this wandering habit is to be found in 

 the difficulty it experiences in procuring its favourite food, which 

 is fruit, seeds, nuts, and banana leaves, the young shoots of this 

 plant, the juice of which it sucks, and other vegetable substances. 



Notwithstanding its powerful canine teeth and its extraordinary 

 strength, the Gorilla is really an exclusively frugivorous animal. 

 As it eats much, when it has devastated for its personal consump- 

 tion a somewhat extensive space it is forced to go elsewhere, in 

 order to provide for the exigencies of its stomach. This is the 

 reason why it periodically abandons certain regions to reach 

 others which have become more fruitful through changes in 

 the seasons. 



Not only does it not habitually dwell among trees, as has been 

 reported, but it never remains on them. M. du Chaillu has 

 always found it on the ground, and if it chanced to climb a 

 tree to gather berries or nuts, it descended again as soon as it had 

 feasted. These enormous animals would be incapable of jumjiing 

 from branch to branch like the small Monkej^s. 



Moreover, the aliment required by the Gorilla is found at a 

 slight elevation from the ground. It is particularly fond of the 

 wild sugar-cane, and a kind of nut with a very hard shell, which 

 it breaks with its powerful jaws, capable of crushing a gam-barrel. 

 The young Gorillas occasionally sleep on trees for safety, but the 

 adults rest seated on the ground, their backs against a log, thus 

 causing the hair on this part to be worn. 



Most frequently a male and female are found together, but 

 sometimes an old male is observed alone. These solitary 

 individuals are more vicious and dangerous than others, a 

 peculiarity which is also noticed in the Elephant. The young 

 Gorillas sometimes go about in groups of six or eight, more often 

 four or five, but never in greater numbers. Their sense of 

 hearing is very delicate, and on the approach of the hunter 

 they retire with loud cries, so that it is difficult to get within 

 gun-shot of them. 



