, 1859-12-30
The Gorilla.


the following description Of this amir Al, which is
said to be the most closely allied il structure, 10
the human form Of any Of the brute creation :--ss
The gorilla is Of the average height Of mar
five feet six inches; his brain case Is low and mar
row, and the fore part Of his skull Is high, and
there is very prominent ridge above the eyes to-
the top Of the head Is very fiat, and the brow, >
with its thick integument, forms tscowlng pent-
house over the eyos' Couple vim this adeePg
jaw with the canine teeth (in the males) of huge
size q rcccding chin, and we have an exaggcfa-
ton Of the lowest and most forbiddngtypeo of hu.iW
man physiognomy. The neck is short; the ksad IL,
pokes forward.
"The relative proportions Of body and limbs l.iW
are near those Of man. yet they are Of more nn ioAr
calmly aspect than any other Of the brute kind. q,
Long, shapeless arms, thick and muscular, with
scarcely any diminuton in size deserving the iaaas
nameo wrist (or at the smallest they four sir
teen inches round while strong mans wrist Is ~
not above eight wide hand, the palm long and -
the fingers short swollen and goutylooking; ipof
paciOus chest; broad shoulders; legs thick and ,,.,
shapeless; destitute Of calf and very muscular,
yet short; handle like foot with a thumb on if
II, Of huge dimensions and portentous power idt
Of grasp No wonder the lion skuks before this 49,
Inonste /, and even the elephant is bafiled BY nis
malicious cunning, strength and activity. 30 hopB
The teeth indicate vegetable Diet but the rs- isl
past is sometimes varied with some eggs, Or q n,
brood Of young birds The chief reason Of b
enmity towards the elephant appears % be, n,tesb
that i ever Intentionally injurts him, but merely
that II suares his taste for certain lavorte fruts
Aud when, from his wateh-towe In the upper
branches Of a tree, he percelves the elephant
helping himself TO these delcaeies he stuas \,
along the bough, and striking is sensitive pro-
boscis violent blow with the club with which 'iot
he is always armed drives off The startled gan
trumpeting shriy with rage and pain. ,.,s,,
Towards the negroes, the gorilla cherikhes
an implacable hatred; he attacks them when bna
m cd Il n lf w ann rana
Unconscious within the range Of a tree haunted y,
by one OF these WOOD deinons-swinging Tahldly W.
down to the lower branches, he clutches nithaseq
his thumbed foot at the nearest Of them, his -.
and the skin above the eyes, drawn rapidly up e.
aud down, gives him tiendish seoSE sS0me-ailo
time I, during Their excursions in quest Of ivory,
in these gloomy forests the native will brst dis
cover The proximity Of to gorilla BY The sutdtue9k
and mysterious disappearance q their eOmpan-taa
ions The brute angling for him with bis horTi-
BILE foot, dropped FROM tree while his strong
arms grasp it tiruly stretches nom Il bis huge n
hind hand, sezes the hapless wretch by thp ~.
throat, draws him up into the. b0ughs, and, as
soon as struggles cease drops him down, azhans p
q tree is q gorilla's sleeping place At MIGHT,
bis pleasant abode BY day, and his castle Of de-
fence From that eogns Of advantage he waits ~
his foe, should the latter be guilty fayllafdy q
enough 70 pursue Noiull grown gorilla las
ever been taken alive. A bold negrO, theIeadtrA
Of nnelephant hunting expsditoh was oiIsredafI
hundred dollars for hye gorilla II you gave -
N. the weight Of yonder bill in gold, Ieoaidnos %
IT, he said. ip2 ips eiu r4
"Nsverthsless he has his good qualities. Ipsna
domestic point Of view; he IS an ablg and exem-
plary husband and father, watching over bis
young family with aiIectionate solieItnde, andof
exeriiAg In their defence bis utmost siFenglhand-f
ferocity. The mother shows that devotion %
their young in timeof danger, which Is The most