10 
WARD’S NATURAL SCIENCE BULLETIN. 
pelvis bore evidence that at some previous time 
the animal liad received a charge of buckshot in 
the rear. Apparently the animal had learned 
that it was dangerous to run away, and had 
decided to face the enemy. 
According to the Baron Yon Koppenfels, the 
Gorilla crosses with the Chimpanzee, and the 
Gorilla Mayema and Troglodytes calvus are results 
of this ; but it seems very doubtful that wild 
animals should cross so often as the Baron 
intimates.* 
All the Asiatic Apes are much more arboreal 
in their habits than the African species, and it is 
doubtful if they ever descend to the ground, 
unless for the purpose of traversing some treeless 
strip of land intervening between them and some 
coveted fruit tree. The fore limb is also propor- 
tionately longer in the Asiatic Anthropoids than 
in their African relatives, reaching its extreme 
in the Gibbons, most of whom can rest a great 
portion of the palm on the ground without 
stooping. The number of species of Orang has 
been variously put at from one to four, but there 
are certainly no n ore than two and very possibly 
but one species. The males of Simla Wurmbii 
are distinguished by the possession of a thick 
protuberance on the cheek, -which gives the face 
a flattened appearance and circular outline when 
viewed from the front. In some specimens the 
face is thirteen inches broad. The skull is 
marked by two ridges, which start above the 
orbit and converge to form a saggital crest. 
There is also a prominent projection of the 
lambdoidal ridge just above the auditory fora- 
men. Simia satyrus has no sagittal crest nor 
lambdoidal prominence, and the temporal ridges 
never unite. 
Prof. J. A. Allen considers that S. Wurmbii is 
only the adult male, and that the change in 
position of the temporal crests, together with the 
acquisition of cheek callosities, is entirely due to 
age. He bases this opinion on a very similar 
cranial change observed by him in the Spider 
Monkey. 
As the habits of the Orang are dwelt upon at 
some length in another article, we will only say 
that it ranks next to the Gorilla in size, and is 
solitary in its habits, preferring level, swampy 
forests. 
The Gibbons comprise the Siamang ( Siamanga 
syndactyla ) and seven species of the genus Ilylo- 
bates. Dr. J. E. Gray, who as* a rule did not 
hesitate to found a species on very slight grounds, 
thinks that these seven should be united in one, 
or at the most two; and from the amount of 
known variation in some of the species it is not 
improbable that some reduction is necessary. 
The Hylobates lar , for example, varies from uni- 
form yellowish white to an almost uniform black, 
a range of color that is only equalled by the Ruff 
(. Machetes pugnax) among birds. 
As the various species of Gibbons have nearly 
the same habits, we will take for illustration the 
Wou Wou (Hylobates leuciscus), which is found in 
Java, Borneo and Sumatra, in the thick forests, 
preferring a hilly country to a level one. They 
are the most active of the Apes, and swing from 
tree to tree with great rapidity, clearing from 
ten to twenty-five feet at each swing. This mode 
of progression (bracliiation) is peculiar to the 
Gibbons, for the smaller monkeys jump from 
tree to tree, while the large Apes do not let go of 
one limb until they have firmly grasped another. 
An idea of the quickness of these animals may 
be gathered from the fact that a Gibbon kept in 
the Zoblogical Gardens has been known to swing 
across its cage, a distance of twelve feet, and 
while so doing strike down a bird on the wing. 
While on their feeding grounds, where they as- 
semble in considerable numbers, the Wou Wous 
utter a peculiar cry, which is very useful to the 
collector in revealing their whereabouts, which 
is otherwise decidedly difficult to discover. 
Besides this cry the Gibbon has its ordinary 
call, from which it derives its name, and 
which can be heard at a distance of a mile. 
When we consider that this sound is made by an 
animal no larger than a small child, we can 
readily credit the stories Du Chaillu tells of the 
roar of the Gorilla. The Gorilla, Gibbons and 
* See letter to Prof. Ward in June number of Am. 
Naturalist. 
Orang are furnished with dilatable pouches in 
the neck, which communicate with the larynx 
and doubtless aid in intensifying the animal’s 
cry. The Orang utters a deep roar; but the note 
of the Gibbon runs regularly through an octave 
from E upward, and according to Owen can be 
said to sing. When disturbed the Gibbon re- 
treats down hill if possible, apparently knowing 
that while it would lose ground by swinging 
from tree to tree up hill, that by descending it 
can easily keep in the tops of the trees. 
The numbers of the larger Apes are steadily 
decreasing as they are driven from the dense 
forests, which seem a necessity to them, by the 
advent of man. The Gorilla and Chimpanzee 
were formerly found on the African coast south 
of the Niger, but have been driven inland until 
it is quite difficult to procure the former. 
In concluding these brief notes it may be 
worth while to notice the fact that the large 
xlfrican Apes are, like the inhabitants, black, 
while the Orang, like the Malay, is brown. 
Frederic A. Lucas. 
Rocky Mountain Goats. 
We have just received from the Northwestern 
Territories (British) a few skins of the rare Rocky 
Mountain Goat (Aploceros montanus), which is 
one of the most difficult to procure of our North 
American mammals. Not only are the herds of 
mountain goats few in number, but they live 
high up in the mountains in the most inaccessible 
places, taking refuge — so say the hunters — where 
even a dog can not follow them. It sometimes 
happens that after a goat has been killed his 
body can not be reached, or else falls from a 
cliff and is so much mutilated as to be useless. 
Even after specimens have been secured and 
“ backed” to camp the trouble is by no means 
ended, for in order to get them to the nearest 
station it is necessary to transport them over 
rough and rocky mountain passes and across 
swollen and turbulent rivers at imminent risk of 
loss. The specimens just received had been on 
the road for over four months. 
The price for these skins is from $50 to $75, 
and for mounted specimens, $125 to $150. 
The following are extracts of letters from two of 
our correspondents in the region where the Moun- 
tain Goat is found: 
“The Mountain Goat is very scarce — only 
found in a few places. They range very high 
up among the rough rocks and cliffs, where it is 
almost inaccessible to man, and will go where a 
dog cannot follow. They do not seem to be a 
shy animal, but after killing one it is extremely 
difficult to get it out. 1 have on two occasions 
killed a goat, and could not possibly get to the 
animal.” 
“ Could you see, or could I describe to you 
the configuration of the mountain chasms and 
peaks whence the Indians procure the ani- 
mals in question, you would understand what a 
task it is to procure a specimen that is not man- 
gled, torn and utterly ruined (save for food) by a 
fall of perhaps thousands of feet into some 
gloomy abyss when the fatal shot is fired which 
kills. In this connection 1 may be allowed to 
mention that last autumn, the Indians while 
bringing the carcass of a goat a distance of 
eight miles to reach my ranch (at the foot of the 
main range), lost horse and carcass over a preci- 
pice, so that to avoid trouble with the Indians I 
purchased horse as well as goat. 
W ANTED. 
Skeletons of Pouched Gopher {Geomys bursar - 
ius) ; skeletons of Prarie Dog ( Gynomys ludovi- 
cianus); skeletons of large male Buffalo ( Bison 
amerieanus); well preserved, choice specimens 
of American Minerals and Fossils. Also, of 
American (Indian and “Mound Builders”) relics, 
Axes, Hatchets, Pipes, Pottery, &c., &c. 
We want only good typical Specimens, and 
would request that in every case persons write us 
in regard to the specimens before sending them. 
If specimens are sent “on approval” without 
first consulting us, the freight on them must be 
prepaid. 
OOLOGY. 
Our stock of eggs is at the present time larger 
than ever before. The last edition (March, 1881) 
of our CATALOGUE OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS’ 
EGGS enumerates 240 species, and the number is 
steadily increasing. The number of our corre- 
spondents all over this continent has become so 
large that we are likely to be able to furnish 
anything which is obtainable in this country. 
All species noted in the catalogue were on 
hand at the time it was issued, and we endeavor 
to keep them constantly in stock. 
The CATALOGUE OF FOREIGN BIRDS’ EGGS 
gives a list of 360 species; a few of these, how- 
ever, we have not on hand at present, but a large 
lot of eggs now on the way from Europe will 
include all these species, as well as a number not 
in the present catalogue. A new edition will be 
issued as soon as these are received. 
We have taken all possible pains to include in 
our stock only perfect specimens, and to exclude 
from it any not carefully prepared or whose 
identity was in the least doubtful. 
Of some few species only single eggs can be 
furnished, while of most — even of the rarest 
birds — we have a good supply. Nests of many 
species can be furnished at about double the 
price of the egg, but the price would vary with 
the condition of the individual specimen. 
For the convenience of persons commencing 
collections, and needing only the common spe- 
cies, we have prepared two special series of 
these, which we offer at very low prices, as 
follows: 
Set A, American Eggs, 25 species for $5.00. 
Set B, Foreign Eggs, 35 species for $5.00. 
All eggs will be sent postage or express prepaid , 
but beyond this no discount can be made. They 
will be carefully packed, and forwarded in wood- 
en or tin boxes, after which they are at buyer’s 
risk. 
Catalogue of North American Birds’ Eggs, price 
10 cents. 
Catalogue of Foreign Birds’ Eggs, price 10 cents. 
A Rare Specimen. 
The establishment has just received “by direct 
importation” from the Arctic ocean, a skeleton of 
Orca gladiator, commonly known as the Grampus 
or killer, which measures 21 feet in length. Like 
the narwhal, specimens of this species are very 
difficult to obtain, and are rarely seen, save in 
the largest museums. The most interesting fea- 
ture of this skeleton is the head, which is of mas- 
sive proportions, and furnished with a frightful 
array of teeth, which in size and shape greatly 
resemble the teeth of the sperm whale. 
This animal has been rightly named “The 
Killer,” for it is truly the tiger of the seas. It is 
very voracious, and besides devouring young 
seals, small porpoises and young whales, it even 
attacks the full grown right whale, tearing large 
chunks of flesh from around its mouth, the lip 
edges forming the most accessible point of at- 
tack. The grampus possesses great strength and 
activity, and marvellous stories are told of its at- 
tacks upon whales. 
This rare specimen is the first of the kind we 
have been able to secure. It was ordered im- 
mediately upon its arrival by Prof. Agassiz, for 
the Museum of Comparative Zoology. 
