100 APES AND MONKEYS 



government prevails. The wives and children do not 

 apparently question the authority of the patriarch or 

 rebel against it. The male parent often plays with his 

 children and is seemingly very fond of them. 



There is one universal error that I desire here to correct. 

 It is the common idea that animals are so strongly pos- 

 sessed of the paternal instinct that they nobly sacrifice 

 their own lives in defense of their young. I do not wish 

 to dispel any belief that tends to dignify or ennoble animals, 

 for I am their friend and champion. But truth demands 

 that this statement be qualified. It is quite true that 

 many have lost their lives in such acts of defense, but it 

 was not a voluntary sacrifice. It is not alone in the defense 

 of their young, but in many cases it is an act of self- 

 defense. In other instances it is from a lack of judgment. 

 These apes have often been frightened away from their 

 young and the latter captured while the parents were flee- 

 ing from the scene. This mav have been the result of 

 sagacity rather than of depravity ; but the parental instinct 

 in both sexes and in many instances has failed to restrain 

 them from flight. If it be a foe that appears to come 

 within the measure of their own power, they will defend 

 their young, and this sometimes results in the loss of their 

 own lives ; but if it be one of such formidable aspect as 

 to appear quite invincible, the parents leave the young to 

 their fate. This is true of all animals, including mankind. 



I have no desire to detract from the heroic quality of 

 this instinct or to dim the glory it sheds upon the noble 

 deeds ascribed to it, but the fact that a parent incurs the 

 risk of its own life in the defense of its young is not a 



