520 WILD ANIMALS. 



for the rivers, for 2000 miles in a straight line, without once 

 touching the ground, namely, from the slopes of the Andes to the 

 shores of the Atlantic." 



The apes that are styled anthropoid, so called because of their 

 being the nearest in their resemblance to man, are known by the 

 generic name of Simiadce, which is derived from a Greek word, 

 signifying "flat-nosed," are inhabitants of Equatorial Africa and of 

 certain Asiatic Islands. There are several species already known, 

 and probably future explorers may discover a few more. Some 

 modern disciples of Darwin live in hopes of yet welcoming the 

 veritable " missing link," which would be so joyfully hailed by 

 those people who wish to have it proved beyond doubt that they are 

 the lineal descendants of apes. The gorilla, chimpanzee, ourang- 

 outang, and gibbon are the species with which the public are most 

 familiar. They have all many points in which they resemble each 

 other, and their habits only differ in certain unimportant features. 

 But there is plenty of room for further information upon their 

 customs when in their natural state. 



The gorilla and chimpanzee constitute a genus known as 

 Troglodytes, which is a word derived from two Greek ones mean- 

 ing " dwellers in caves," and conveys no correct guide to the 

 animals' habits, but only exhibits the lack of accurate knowledge 

 possessed by their scientific godfathers respecting them, for, as a 

 matter of fact, the animals make their homes in trees, if a rough 

 nest prepared for a few days' occupation can be called a home. 



These apes, like the native negroes, are black. The gorilla has 

 a more limited range than the chimpanzee, for it is confined in its 

 habitat to the western part of Equatorial Africa, where in the 

 depths of the dense forests it reigns supreme, for although huge 

 birds of prey, mighty snakes, monstrous lizards, and millions of 

 insects are also to be found therein, and a few jackals and hyaenas 

 prowl about, yet there are none of the large animals such as 

 giraffes, zebras, rhinoceroses, lions, or elephants which abound in 

 the interior. The gorillas and the chimpanzees have, therefore, to 

 fear few enemies except the native hunters, who appear to enter- 

 tain a greater awe of these apes than the apes do of them. 



Few, if any, Europeans will ever be able to make systematic 



