OEDEE OF QUADEUMANA. 
597 
The Gorilla lives in the loneliest and most sombre parts of the 
dense forests of Western Africa, either in deep valleys, on rugged 
heights, or on plateaux covered with large masses of rock. It 
always keeps near a running stream, hut, being essentially a 
nomadic animal, it rarely remains for many days together in the 
same place. The reason for this wandering habit is to be found in 
the difficulty it experiences in procuring its favourite food, which 
is fruit, seeds, nuts, and banana leaves, the young shoots of this 
plant, the juice of which it sucks, and other vegetable substances. 
Notwithstanding its powerful canine teeth and its extraordinary 
strength, the Gorilla is really an exclusively frugivorous animal. 
As it eats much, when it has devastated for its personal consump- 
tion a somewhat extensive space it is forced to go elsewhere, in 
order to provide for the exigencies of its stomach. This is the 
reason why it periodically abandons certain regions to reach 
others which have become more fruitful through changes in 
the seasons. 
Not only does it not habitually dwell among trees, as has been 
reported, but it never remains on them. M. du Chaillu has 
always found it on the ground, and if it chanced to climb a 
tree to gather berries or nuts, it descended again as soon as it had 
feasted. These enormous animals would be incapable of jumping 
from branch to branch like the small Monkeys. 
Moreover, the aliment required by the Gorilla is found at a 
slight elevation from the ground. It is particularly fond of the 
wild sugar-cane, and a kind of nut with a very hard shell, which 
it breaks with its powerful jaws, capable of crushing a gun-barrel. 
The young Gorillas occasionally sleep on trees for safety, but the 
adults rest seated on the ground, their backs against a log, thus 
causing the hair on this part to be worn. 
Most frequently a male and female are found together, but 
sometimes an old male is observed alone. These solitary 
individuals are more vicious and dangerous than others, a 
peculiarity which is also noticed in the Elephant. The young 
Gorillas sometimes go about in groups of six or eight, more often 
four or five, but never in greater numbers. Their sense of 
hearing is very delicate, and on the approach of the hunter 
they retire with loud cries, so that it is difficult to get within 
gun-shot of them. 
