Apes, Monkeys, and Lemurs 



gorilla and baboon have often been laid on its shoulders, and information derived from natives 

 is usually untrustworthy. Apparently the chimpanzee avoids coming into collision with man, 

 although, when attacked, it is a formidable antagonist. Tales of chimpanzees kidnapping 

 women and children need stronger evidence than they have yet obtained. The natives kill 

 this ape by spearing it in the back, or by driving it into nets, where it is entangled and easily 

 dispatched. According to Livingstone, the soko, as the chimpanzee is called in Elust Central 

 Africa, kills the leo])ard by biting its paws, but falls an easy prey to the lion. 



In captivity it is docile and intelligent, but usually fails to stand a northern climate for 

 more than a few months. It is easily taught to wear clothes, to eat and drink in civilised 

 fashion, to understand what is said to it, and reply with a limited vocabulary of grunts. 

 Sally learnt to count perfectly up to six, and less perfectly to ten ; she could also distinguish 

 white from any colour, but if other colours were presented her she failed, apparently from 

 colour-blindness. Of this ape the late Dr. G. J. Romanes wrote with something more than the 

 enthusiasm of a clever man pursuing a favourite theme : " Her intelligence was conspicuously 

 displayed by the remarkable degree in 

 which she was able to understand the 

 meaning of spoken language — a degree 

 fully equal to that presented by an 

 infant a few months before emerging 

 from infancy, and therefore higher than 

 that which is presented by aw brute, so 

 far at least as I have evidence co show." 

 Romanes here speaks only, be it noticed, 

 of ability to understand human speech — 

 not to tuink and act. But this is in 

 itself a great mark of intelligence on 

 hitman lines. " Having enlisted the 

 co-operation of the keepers, I requested 

 them to ask the ape repeatedly for one 

 straw, two straws, three straws. These 

 she was to pick up and hand out from 

 among the litter of her cage. No 

 constant order was to be observed in 

 making these requests ; but whenever 

 she handed a number not asked for her 

 offer was to be refused, while if she 

 gave the proper number her offer was 

 to be accepted, and she was to receive 

 a piece of fruit in payment. In this 

 way the ape had learnt to associate these 

 three numbers with the names. As 

 soon as the animal understood what was 

 required, she never failed to give the 

 number of straws asked for. Her educa- 

 tion was then completed in a similar 

 manner from three to four, and from 

 four to five straws. Sally rarely made 

 mistakes up to that number ; but above 

 five, and up to ten, to which one of 

 the keepers endeavoured to advance her 

 education, the result is uncertain. It is 

 evident that she understands the words 



Photo hi/ G. W. Wilson ct Co., Ltd.] 



A YOUNG CHIMPANZEE. 



[Aberdeen. 



This eiceHcnt photograph, by Major Nott, F.Z.S., is particularly good, 

 showing the maoner in which these aninjals use their hands and feet. 



