HABITAT OF GORILLA 213 



I know of no valid reason why he should be confined to 

 the limits mentioned, unless it be on account of climatic 

 conditions which are peculiar to this district. South of it 

 the climate along the coast is much cooler. The country 

 east of it is hilly and comparatively barren. North of 

 the equator is a land of almost perpetual rain. Within 

 this district dry and rainy seasons are more equally divided 

 and more uniform in temperature. 



The gorilla appears to be an indigenous product which 

 does not bear transplanting. He thrives only in a low, hot, 

 and humid region, infested by malaria, miasma, and fevers. 

 It is doubtful if he can long survive in a pure atmos- 

 phere. The only specimen that I have ever heard of north 

 of the equator was one on the south side of the Komo 

 River, which is the north branch of the Gaboon. The 

 point at which I heard of his being was within a few miles 

 of the equator. I also heard of five having been seen a 

 few miles southwest from Njole, which is located on the 

 equator on the north bank of the Ogowe, a little way east 

 of the Nguni. They were said to be the first and only 

 ones ever seen in that region within the memory of man. 

 As to their being found between Gaboon and Cameroon, I 

 find no trace along the coast of one ever having been seen 

 in that part. 



Certain writers have mentioned the fact that, in 1851 

 and 1852, gorillas came in great numbers from the interior 

 to the coast. The fact is that then the gorilla was prac- 

 tically unknown to science. He had been reported by 

 Ford, Savage, and others, but prior to that time there are 

 no data to show whether or not they were more numerous 



