MONKEY BABIES. 



187 



This baby is very fond of a frolic, like other 

 little folk. In their native woods in Africa 

 groups of young chimpanzees are sometimes 

 seen playing together like a party of children, 

 running after each other, turning somersets, 

 swinging, shouting and screaming, and, above 

 all, drumming on a log with a stick, which they 

 like to do as well as boys like to play on a reg- 

 ular drum. When they are hungry they eat 

 fruit or plants. It is as a captive that the little 

 chimpanzee is best known, and here he behaves 

 curiously like a child. For one thing, he does n't 

 like to be shut up in a cage, and he does like to 

 sit on the lap of his nurse and be " cuddled " 

 like a baby. He will put his arms around her 

 neck and cry, when she puts him down. In fact 

 he sometimes makes a great fuss about it, 

 screams, and throws himself on the floor, and 

 kicks and rolls over. But this is not often. 

 Generally he is gentle and affectionate and full 

 of play, laughing when he is tickled, and giving 

 little grunts of pleasure, while his hazel eyes 

 twinkle with fun. 



The most interesting thing about the young 

 chimpanzee is his desire to do as people do. He 

 greatly likes to get hold of clothes to wear. He 

 easily learns to eat with a spoon and fork, to 

 drink from a cup and saucer, and to enjoy our 

 food, even hot tea. When he grows older he 



