Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-03-16
THE NEW MAN-M0NKEY.

| At the London Royal Institution, few days
| ago, Professor Owen delivered a lecture to a
| crowded audience on the Gorilla, the recently
| discovered animal of Central Africa, whlch
bears the nearest resemblance TO man OF any
| one of the IN onkey tribe that has hitherto oeeh
| discovered, not excepting the ChImpanzee-
| The first traces of this creature were made
known in this country in 1877, and from the
| bones and the sketches of it which Professor
| Owen received from missionaries, he inferred
| that the Gorilla was one OF the most hlgnty
developed species of the monkey group. In
August last, specimen OF the Gorilla, pre-
served in spirits, was received at the British
Museum, and a well executed drawing of it.
| by Mr.. Wolff, was exhibited Prof. Owen first
| pointed out the anatomical characteristics of
| the Gorilla, which distinguish 1t from other
| species OF monkeys, and he afterwards men-
| toned such particulars of its habits as he has
collected from those who have visited that
part of Africa where it is found. The points
| in which it approaches nearer to man, than
any other quadrumanous animal, are the shcrt-
.! er arm-particulary the shortness of the hu-
| merus compared with the fore-arm-a longer
developement of the great toe, projecting
nose bone, and the arrangement OF the bones
| of the feet to enable the creature to stand
more erect. The drawing of the Gorilla, from
| the specimen in the British Museum, though
| only two-thirds grown, represented most foT :
midable animal, and, compared with the skel
eton of the full-grown specimen, the skeleton
| of man seemed very delicate. Not only are
| the bones and muscles calculated to give great
strength, but the large capacity of the chest
indicated the powerful energy with which they
were stimulated. The part of Africa where
| the Gorilla is found, lies from the equator TO
20 degrees south, on the western portion, in
| hilly country abounding in palm trees and lux
| uriant vegetation. Its food consists of fruits
and vegetables, and its habitation is in the
woods, where it constructs nests of the inter
| twined boughs, perched at heights varying
| from u feet to 80. 1t avoids the presence OF
| the negroes, and is but seldom seen, bur it is
| known to them as ssthe stupid old man." The
| want of intelligence that has induced the ne
| groes to give it that name is shown by its car
rying away fruits and sugar canes sinGly, in
stead of tying them together and carrying sew
| eral of them off at one time. 1t is in thus re-
| turning to take away its provender into the
woods piecemeal, that the negroes take the
| opportunity of waiting for and shooting it.
The Gorilla is a formidable enemy to encoun-
| ter, and, in case the gun misses its mark, or
| only mains the animal, the negro is quickly
overtaken and killed, or dreadfuly mangled
| by the canine teeth of the creature. Some
times when negro is passing unawares under
| tree in which Gorilla is seated, IL will reach
| down its arm and snatch the man up by the
| throat and hold him till he is straBgled. The
elephant is an object of its attack, as they both
| live on the same food, and holding on to a
high branch with its hind feet, it will stoop
| down and strike the elephant with club.
| The Gorilla exhibits a strong attachment TO its
| young, as an instance of which it was men
| toned that female and her two young ones
having been seen in tree, she snatched up
one and ran with it into the woods, and then
| returned to fetch the other Her retreat had
in the meantime been cut of, and when the
gun was levclled at her, as she held her young
one to her breast, she waved her arm as if 10
| beseech for mercy. But 1t was in vain; for q
| bullet was sent through her heart, and the
young one was wounded and captured. The
| Gorilla is sometimes seen walking with its
arms behind It's neck its usual mode OF pro-
gression, however, is on all forus. Professor
Owen mentioned several other points in the
habits of the animal, well as in its osteolo-
gy, to show its nearer approach to man than
other animals Of the tribe and he conclu-
ded by alluding to the fossil remains of quad
rumanes, to show that the Gorilla, like man,
had not existed till the earth had attained its
present condition.