598 MAMMALIA. 



""When I have surprised a couple of Gorillas," saj's 31. du 

 Chaillu, " the male has usually been seated on a rock or against a 

 tree in the darkest corner of the jungle. The female sat eating 

 beside him, and, what was very singidar, it was nearly always she 

 who gave alarm by taking to flight, uttering at the same time 

 piercing cries. But the male remained seated for a moment, and 

 knitting together his savage countenance, slowly stood upright. 

 Throwing a malicious glance at the invaders of his retreat, he 

 then commenced to beat his breast, to elevate his great head, and 

 to utter his formidable roars. The hideous aspect of the animal 

 at this moment it is impossible to describe. Looking at him, I 

 forgave my brave native hunters for being full of superstitious 

 fears, and I ceased to be astonished at the strange and marvellous 

 stories current among them, with regard to the Gorillas." 



It has been erroneously affirmed that the Gorilla makes use of a 

 stick or club as an offensive weapon. It only uses in its assaults 

 its arms, I'eet, and teeth ; and these are more than enough. 



With a single blow of its enormous foot, armed as it is with 

 short, curved nails, it disembowels a Man or fractures his skidl. 

 Nothing can be more dangerous than a bad aim when attacking 

 this ferocious animal ; therefore it is that experienced hunters 

 always reserve their shot until the last moment. Moreover, the 

 report of firearms irritates this terrible beast. If the wound 

 is not fatal, the Gorilla precipitates itself with incredible violence 

 on its aggressor, crushing at the same moment both weapon and 

 hunter (Fig. 266). 



When the Gorilla is attacked, it utters a short, jerking, and 

 acute bark, like that of an angry Dog ; to this succeeds a low 

 growling, which might be mistaken for distant thunder. The 

 echoing of these roars is so deep that they rather appear to come 

 from the spacious cavities of the chest and abdomen than from 

 the throat. This growling is so strange, so threatening, that 

 the bravest become awed. The cry of the female and of the 

 young Gorilla is shrill and piercing. 



This terrible Monkey dies as easily as Man ; a ball weU 

 directed produces instant death. 



The female does not attack the hunter ; she flies with her 

 progeny, which clings around her neck, with its legs encircling 

 her body. The aflection of these creatures for their young is so 



