, 1859-08-10

Tho Gorilla.
In Dickens's AN Tie lear Round We find the
following description Of this animal, which is
said to be most closely a'ed, in structure, to the
human form, Of any Of the brute creation:
The gorilla is Of the average height Of man,
five feet st1 INCHES his brain case is low and
narrow, and o. the forcpart Of the skull is hi.b.
and there IS xerv prominent ridge over the
eyes. tic top of tho head is perfectly fat, and
the brew with its thick integumentt. FERNS
"scowling penthouse over the eyes," Couple
with this q deep lead colored skin, much wrink-
led, prominent jaw with the canine teeth lin
the n'a'cs) Of huge size. n rcceding chin, mud
We have an cxaggeration Of the lowest and most
tor5'dd!nE tori! t5pe # human ply siosnemy; The
latlsc proportions Of the body md limbs are
ncarcr those Of man, Jet they are Of more un-
sainly aspect than in any other of the brute
kind. Long shapelcss arms, thick md musc,i-
lar, with scarce my dimuuition Of size deserv-
ing tue name Of wrist {for ut the smallest they
ars fourteen inches round, while strong nuns
wis. ., Is not above eisnt;) q wide, thick hand,
shoulders legs also thick and shapeless, desti-
tute Of calf. and very muscular, yet short; a
hand. like foot, with thumb 10 it, of huge d.
mcnslon and portcntious power Of grasp No
wundrr the lion skniks before this monster, and
even the elephant is bafed BY his malicious
cunning. activity and strength. The teeth indi-
cate a vegetable diet, but the repast is varied
sometimes With eggs, Or . brood Of young
birds. The chief reason Of his enmity 10 the
elephant appears to be, not that it ever inten-
tioualy Injuries him, but merely, that it shares
! lis taste for certain farorite fruits. And when
FROM Lis wutch-tower in the upper lrancl,es
II tree, he Perceires the elephant helping himf
self to these delicncics, he steals along the
bopg',, and striking its sensitive probocis yio-
lent blow with tue club with Which he is almost
always armed. drircs of the startled giant,
trumpeting slrilIy with rage and pain.
"Towards tile negroes, the gorilla seems to
cherish an imrlacablc hatred; he attacks them
quite unprovuked. If a party OF. blacks ap-
proach ,nconsciously within range Of tree
haunted by one Of these woud den1ons-swng-
ing ruridly down to the lower branches, he
them, his green eyes flash with rage, his hair
stands on end, mud the skin above the eyes,
drawn rapidly up aud down, gives him lend
ish sCowl. Sometimes during their excursions
in quest Of ivory, in those Eloo'ay forests, the
natives wilt first discover ihc proximity Of u
gorilla BY the sudden mysterious disappearance
Of one ol their number The brute, angling for
him with Ills horrible foot dropped from tee
while bis strong arms grasp:t firmly, stretches
down his huEc ltiud-hand scizes the l!npless
wretch by tic throat, draws him up into the
boughs, and, as soon as h,s struggles hare
ceased, drops u1n1 down. stfahEled CORPSE.
"a tree Is the gorilla sleeping place By night,
bis pleasant abode by day, and his castle OF de.
fence. From that coigne ofadsautagc he waits
bis foe. should the latter be hardy or foolhary
enough to pursue. No full grown gorilla has
cTer been taken nlire. 4 bold negro, the leader
Of an elephant hunting expedition, was offered
| a hundred dollars for live gorilla. tIf you
gavc me the weight Of youdcr hill in gold, l
could not do IT, be said.
Nevertheless, he has Lis good qualities
domestic point Of vicw-hc is m amiable aud
exemplary husband and father, watching over
bis young. family with atecsiouate solcisude,
and exerting iu their defence his utmost
strength ind ferocity. The mothers show that
dcrotion to their young ia time Of danger which
| is the most universal Of instincts,
"Thc gorilla constructs himself snug ham-
mock out Of tue long, tough, slender steHs Of
parasitic plants, and lines it with the broad dried
frones Of pulms, or with long grass-a sort Of
bed surely not to be dcspised, swung in the
lcafy branches uf a tree. BY day, he sits on
bough, leaning Ills back against the trunk, ow-
ingto which habit elderly go1illas become rather
bald in those regions"