534 WILD ANIMALS. 



ago a showman had a young ape he called a chimpanzee, but it was 

 in reality a gorilla, although the fact was not recognized until after 

 the animal's death and it had been stuflFed, so scientific men lost 

 the opportunity of studying it. 



In 1876 a gorilla arrived in Liverpool and was visited by Mr. 

 Moore, curator of the Free Public Museum of Liverpool, who sent 

 the following letter to the Times newspaper : — 



" Sir, — A veritable young living gorilla was yesterday brought 

 into Liverpool by the German African Society's Expedition, which 

 arrived by the steamship Loanda, from the West Coast. The 

 animal is a young male, in the most perfect health and condition, 

 and measures three feet in height. Its beetling brows, flattened, 

 podgy nose, black muzzle, small ears, and thick fingers, cleft only 

 to the second joint, distinguish it unmistakably from the chim- 

 panzee. Only one other specimen has been brought alive to 

 England. In the winter of 1855-56 a young female gorilla, of 

 much smaller size was exhibited by the late Mrs. Wombwell in 

 Liverpool and other places. It died in March, 1866, and was sent 

 to Mr. Waterton, of Walton Hall, who preserved the skin for his 

 own collection, and sent the skeleton to the Leeds Museum. This 

 specimen I saw living in Liverpool and dead in Walton Hall. All 

 subsequent attempts to import the gorilla alive have failed ; and 

 unfortunately the British public will have no opportunity of pro- 

 fiting by the present success, as the members of the expedition, 

 with commendable patriotism, are taking the animal on Saturday 

 via Hull to Berlin. Could it have graced our own Zoological 

 Gardens it would have been the lion of the day ; for in addition to 

 the great scientific interest of the species, the abounding life, 

 energy, and joyous spirits of the example would have made it a 

 universal favourite. Courteously received at Eberle's Alexandra 

 Hotel by the members of the expedition, I found the creature 

 romping and rolling in full liberty about the private drawing-room, 

 now looking out of the window with all the becoming gravity and 

 sedateness, as though interested, but not disconcerted by the busy 

 multitude and novelty without ; then bounding rapidly along on 

 knuckles and feet to examine and poke fun at some new- 

 comer ; playfully mumbling at his calves, pulling at his beard (a 

 special delight), clinging to his arms, examining his hat (not at all 



