NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 83 



Nearly all the above-named species are now living in the 

 Primate House, besides which there are many others. So 

 far as the available supply of captive primates will permit, 

 these typical species will constantly be kept on exhibition, 

 together with many others equally interesting. In this 

 small volume it is possible to notice only the most im- 

 portant forms. 



The Gorilla, (Gorilla savagei), of equatorial West Africa, 

 is the largest and ugliest of the great apes, walks erect, and 

 in form of body and limbs, it most resembles man. Its 

 brain, however, is less man-like than that of the chimpanzee 

 and orang-utan. It is very rarely seen in captivity. The 

 only specimen which up to 1911 had reached America alive 

 lived but five days after its arrival. Despite the fact that 

 these creatures seldom live in captivity longer than a few 

 months, they are always being sought by zoological gardens. 

 The agents of the New York Zoological Society are con- 

 stantly on the watch for an opportunity to procure and send 

 hither a good specimen of this wonderful creature ; and 

 whenever one arrives, all persons interested are advised to 

 see it immediately, — before it dies of sulleness, lack of 

 exercise, and indigestion. 



The Orang-Utan is intellectually superior to the gorilla, 

 and is equalled only by the chimpanzee. Unfortunately, as 

 a rule, none of the great apes are long-lived in captivity, 

 and in zoological gardens they come and go. For this rea- 

 son, it is seldom that an adult specimen, 4 feet in height, 

 and weighing 150 pounds, is seen in captivity. Among 

 other apes, the Orang-Utan is readily recognized by its 

 brozvn skin, red hair and small ears. 



In disposition this creature is naturally docile and affec- 

 tionate. It is fond of the society of human beings, takes 

 to training with wonderful readiness and success, and young 

 specimens can easily be taught to wear clothes, sit at table, 

 and eat with spoon and fork. In the summer of 1911, the 

 daily open-air exhibition of nine apes dining at 4 o'clock 

 on an elevated platform in the large outside cage at the 

 Primate House, will long be remembered by the crowds of 

 visitors who saw it. Such exhibitions are entirely germane 

 to the educational purposes of a zoological garden or park, 

 for they illustrate the mentality of animals and their won- 

 derful likeness to man, far more forcibly than the best 

 printed statements. 



The north hall of the Primate House is specially in- 

 tended for the anthropoid apes, and it is not likely that any 



