THE CHIMPANZEE. 541 



" As seen here they cannot be called gregarious, seldom more 

 than five or ten at most being found together. It has been said 

 on good authority that they occasionally assemble in large num- 

 bers in gambols. My informant asserts that he saw once not less 

 than fifty so engaged; hooting, screaming, and drumming with 

 sticks upon old logs, which is done in the latter case with equal 

 facility by the four extremities. 



" They do not appear ever to act on the off"ensive, and seldom, 

 if ever really, on the defensive. When about to be captured, they 

 resist by throwing their arms about their opponent, and attempt- 

 ing to draw him into contact with the teeth. Biting is their 

 principal act of defence. I have seen one man who had been thus 

 severely wounded in the feet. 



" They are filthy in their habits. . . . It is a tradition with 

 the natives generally here (Cape Palmas) that they were once 

 members of their own tribe ; that for their depraved habits they 

 were expelled from all human society; and, that through an 

 obstinate indulgence of their vile propensities they have degene- 

 rated into their present state and organization. They are, however, 

 eaten by them, and, when cooked with the oil and pulp of the 

 palm nut, considered a highly palatable morsel. 



" They exhibit a remarkable degree of intelligence in their 

 habits, and, on the part of the mother, much affection for their 

 young. The second female described, was upon a tree when first 

 discovered, with her mate and two young ones (a male and female). 

 Her first impulse was to descend with great rapidity and ' make 

 off' into the thicket with her mate and female offspring. The 

 young male remaining behind, she soon returned alone to his 

 rescue. She ascended and took him in her arms, at which moment 

 she was shot, the ball passing through the fore-arm of the young 

 one in its course to the heart of the mother. Other instances 

 have been known in which the mother, otherwise timid and fleeing 

 from the presence of man, forsaken by her mate, has fallen a 

 sacrifice to the force of natural affection. In a recent case, the 

 mother when discovered, remained upon a tree with her ofi'spring, 

 watching intently the movements of the hunter. As he took aim, 

 she motioned with her hand, precisely in the manner of a human 



