APES IN CAPTIVITY 269 



matter how clean the straw may be, the effect will 

 be the same in the end. Hay is better than straw, 

 but even this should not be used. 



Another thing which is necessary is to entertain 

 or amuse them in some way, otherwise they become 

 despondent and gloomy. It is believed by those 

 who are familiar with these apes that loneliness or 

 solitude is a fruitful cause of death. This is espe- 

 cially so with the gorilla. I have a photograph of one 

 that was kept by a trader on the coast of Africa for 

 nearly three years. She was devoted to him, and 

 was never content when not in his company. His 

 business required him to make a journey of a few 

 days to the interior. He left the gorilla at his place 

 on the coast where she had lived up to this time. 

 The day after he departed she became morose and 

 fretful, and within a few days died without any 

 apparent cause except pining. This was observed 

 by natives and by white traders, and her death has 

 always been ascribed to the cause assigned. She 

 was well known to all the traders on that part of the 

 coast, and has been regarded as one of the best 

 specimens known. She is the only one that I have 

 ever known to become devoted to a human being. 



Another important fact that is little known but 

 very singular is, that tobacco smoke is absolutely 

 fatal to a gorilla. Every native hunter that I met 

 in Africa testifies that this simple thing will kill any 

 gorilla in the forest if he is subjected to the fumes 

 for a short time. I have reason to believe that it is 

 true. It may not prove fatal in every instance, but 



