22 



down and warm himself at the smouldering embers, but has not wit 

 enough to throw on more wood, out of the surrounding abundance, 

 to keep the fire burning, — "the stupid old man ! " 



Every account of the habits of a wild animal obtained at second 

 hand from the reports of aborigines has, commonly, its proportion of 

 " apocrypha." The author had restricted himself to the statements 

 that had most probability and were in accordance with the ascertained 

 structures and powers of the animal, and would only add the averment 

 and belief of the Gaboon negroes, that when a Gorilla dies, his fellows 

 cover the corpse with a heap of leaves and loose earth collected and 

 scraped up for the purpose. 



A most singular phenomenon in natural history, if one reflects on 

 the relations of things, is this Gorilla ! Limited as it is in its numbers 

 and geographical range, one discerns that the very peculiar conditions 

 of its existence — abundance of wild fruit — needs must be restricted 

 in space; but concurring in a certain part of Africa, there lives the 

 creature to enjoy them. 



The like conditions exist in Borneo and Sumatra, and there also a 

 correlative human-like ape, of similar nature, tooth-armour, and force, 

 exists at their expense. Neither Ourangs nor Gorillas however 

 minister to man's use either directly or indirectly. Were they to 

 become extinct, no sign of the change or break in the links of life 

 would remain, What may be their real significance ? 



Reverting finally to the ancient notices which might relate to 

 the great anthropoid ape of Africa, Prof. Owen referred to his first 

 Memoir, of February, 1848, in which was quoted (Trans. Zool. Soc, 

 vol. hi. p. 4 18) Dr. Falconer's ' Translation of the Voyage of Hanno, ' 

 (London, 1797) with his dissertation vindicating the authenticity 

 of the " Periplus." Professor Owen had lately been favoured by 

 the venerable Bishop Maltby, the first amongst our Greek scholars, 

 with the following translation of the passage supposed to allude to 

 the species in question : — " On the third day, having sailed from 

 thence, passing the streams of fire, we came to a bay called the Horu 

 of the South. In the recess there was an island like the first, having 

 a lake, and in this there was another island full of wild men. But 

 much the greater part of them were women, with hairy bodies, whom 

 the interpreters called ' Gorillas.' But, pursuing them, we were not 

 able to take the men ; they all escaped, being able to climb the 

 precipices, and defended themselves with pieces of rock. But three 

 women (females), who bit and scratched those who led them, were 

 not willing to follow. However, having killed them, we flayed them, 

 and conveyed the skins to Carthage ; for we did not sail any further, 

 as provisions began to fail." This encounter indicates, therefore, 

 the southernmost point on the west coast of Africa reached by the 

 Carthaginian navigator. 



To the inquiry by Bishop Maltby, how far the newly-discovered 

 great ape of Africa bore upon the question of the authenticity of the 

 Periplus, Prof. Owen had replied : — "The size and form of the great 

 ape, now called ' Gorilla,' would suggest to Hanno and his crew no 

 other idea of its nature than that of a kind of human being ; but 



