62 GORILLAS AND CHIMPANZEES 



favour. There is no common mental unit between 

 them. 



The chimpanzee exercises the faculty of reason 

 with a fair degree of precision, on problems that 

 concern his own comfort or safety. He is quick to 

 interpret motives, to discern intents, and is a rare 

 judge of character. He is inquisitive, but not so 

 imitative as monkeys are. He is more observant of 

 the relations of cause and effect, and in his actions 

 he is controlled by more definite motives. He is 

 docile, and quickly learns anything that lies within 

 the range of his own mental plane. 



The opinion has long prevailed that these apes 

 subsist upon a vegetable diet, but such is not in any- 

 wise the case. In this respect their habits are the 

 same as those of man, except that the latter has 

 learned to cook his food, while the former eats his raw. 



Their natural tastes are much diversified, and 

 they are not all equally fond of the same articles of 

 food. Most of them are partial to the wild mango, 

 which grows in abundance in certain localities in the 

 forest, and is often available when other kinds of 

 food are scarce. It thus becomes, as it were, a 

 staple article of food. There are many kinds of nuts 

 to be found in their domain, but the oil palm nut 

 appears to be a favourite. They also eat the kola 

 nut, when it is to be had. Several kinds of small 

 fruits and berries also form a part of their diet. 

 They eat the stalks of some plants, the tender buds 

 of others, and the tendrils of certain vines, the names 

 of which I do not know. 



