58 
ALMOST HUMAN 
When this picture was taken they had left the maternal pouch about 
one week. 
Curiosity having been aroused as to why these ugly things received 
their highly suggestive name, it was stated that there can be little doubt 
that they deserved it. It is another case of ugliness going to the bone. 
Indeed, any virtues they possess are negative ones, and their vices are 
most positive. They are very savage, and have frequent fights among 
themselves, while they slay other creatures for the mere wanton lust 
Ugliness goes to the bone. 
of slaughter. When they attack anything, a member of their own tribe 
or any other species, they will practically tear it to pieces in sheer ruth- 
lessness. After a fight at the gardens the dead victim has more often 
than not been found to be almost devoured. Even in their sociability 
they are dangerous, for one can never tell the moment when their rough 
play will turn to rougher quarrelling, so uncertain is the temper of every 
one of them. Their unearthly noise is as bad as that of the lynx and 
nearly as bad as the golden cat’s vocalisation. If one could imagine 
a choir consisting of imps in the infernal regions, with every ear-splitting, 
brain-scratching sound grouped in hideous discords, the only earthly 
