Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-12-26
The AnthropoidAp

are all able to walk erect, though not
usually moving on "all-fours."
The ORANG-OUTANG, or Simia SatyTlts,
in former times, included the Chin
panzee, which, however, is no. regard
ed as belonging to a differen genus ::
and the term Orang refers only to an
ape found in Indo-China and the East
India Islands. The S. satyrus is about
five feet high when erect, is covered
with reddish hair, and, as the forehead
is full, and the snout not extremely
prominent, resembles man more than
any other ape of which we have salts
fIctory information. 1t is solitary in
its habits, and builds in trees a rude
shelter from storms. Some natufahsts
have placed this ape below the dog in
the scale of intelligence; but this seems
unjust. Button and others have given
instances in which very considerable
intelligence was manifested. The orang
is little known in the West, as few
specimens have been imported, al
though many of other genera tions have
exhibited under its name.
The CHINPANZEE, or TfogIOdytss niger,
inhabits a narrow district of western
tropical Africa, and is the Angola orang
of the old naturalists. 1t is four or FIVE
feet nigh, covered with grayish hair,
long and thick upon the back, but
short and thin elsewhere. 1t 10 grega-
rious, and lives almost wholly among
the trees. To protect itself against the
furious storms of its country, it con
structs hut Of twigs and leaves like
the orang, and when attacked defends
itself with clubs and stones. The first
individual of this species ever seen in
Europe was brought to England in l73S
and exhibited as a cusiosity. Of late
years, many have been brought to Eu-
rope and America, where they have
been exhibited as orang-outangs.
The NsHIEGo MBoUYE, or nest-build-
ing ape, the Tfoglodytes calvlss of Du
Chaillu, inhabits the gorilla country.
1t is of secluded habits, and is but lit
tie known. 1t is of moderate size its
face when young is white, but sooty
black in the adult its head is bald,
and its body is covered with dark hair;
it skillfully constructs nests or huts in
trees, with the tops curved to shed rain.
In one of these a pair flor the 7. cal
vus is gregarious) abide until the ber-
ries in the vicinity are consumed, when
they remove and construct another
nest These nests are so well construct
ed that Du Chaillu was for long time
unwilling to believe them other than
the work of hunters.
The KooLo KAMBA, or speaking ape
was also discovered by Du Chaillu. 1t
is covered with hair, which on the face
is arranged like the whiskers of the
bearded races. Its forehead is very
prominent, and its cranial cavity is
very large. If Du Chaillu's account
can be relied upon, it resembles man
more than any other Of the family
Nothing is known of its habits, as its
timidity is so great that even Du Chail-
lu himself was unable to discover any
thing concerning it.
The GORILLA, or man-monkey IS
found only in western Africa, inhabit-
ing a narrow strip of country near the
equator. 1t it of gigantic size, a speci-
men in the museum at Melbourne,
Australia, being nearly seven feet high
and five feet about the shoulders. The
body covered with thick hair, varying In
color from gray to black the face is
black and bearded, and the eyes are
deeply set. Although like other apes,
its natural mode of locomotion is on
all-fours, yet it is able to move erect
with ease and rapidity. 1t is a rest
less nomadic creature, living in pairs
with its young it is strictly vegetari-
an, and always sleeps with its back to
tree. The strength of the gorilla is
prodigous. 1t is said to bend and break
gun-barrel without difficulty. This,
however, is doubtful. We have only
Du Chaillu's word for it. 1t is known
that one stroke of its massive hand
will disembowel a man, or break his
arms. The lion is not found in its
country, and the leopard fees at his
approach. When excited, it beats its
breasts, and makes a deep roaring
sound. Although the only creature
that meets man face TO face, the goril-
la is not the friGhtful creature of our
imagination. Usually it is retiring,
even timid, found only after patient
search. Its feroeity appears only in
defense of its young, except in case OF
lonely male, who having lost his mate
seems full of malice, and wanders up
and down, doing all possible damage.
1t is from these tailless apes, accOr-
ding to our modern theorists of the
development" school, that man is
descended. 1t may be so but in that
case, we think the less we say about
the matter the better. Let US leave it
to the apes to claim relationship. We
may be excused for not recognizing
these Country cousins" when we meet
them, especially as their customs is so
decidedly Questionable.
Seriously, ,"transmutation ofspecies," !"
as a writer in the Educational. journal
truly remarks, sis unknown in nature.
By careful culture, varieties, differing
greatly from the primary, of animals
and vegetables may be produced; but
these invariably degenerate and disap-
pear, or return to the original stock
If man, by stress of peculiar circumstan-
ces, has been developed from the ape,
then, as soon as the restraint is removed
he should revert to his former condition.
But he does not. From time immemO-
rial the savages of Borneo have trained
orangs to throw down the cocoa-nuts
from the trees, being themselves una
bic to procure them. 1t is natural to
suppose that these savages anxiously
desire to possess the long arms of the
ape and the power of climbing trees,
whereby they would be freed from the
labor of training obstinate brutes. The
Development theory leads US to believe
that these desires would incite them to
strong efforts, and that such efforts
would eventually cause the production
of the new organs and powers. New
ertheless, no such organs have yet ap-
peared; and that, too, notwithstand-
ing the fact according to the Develop
ment theory that, to obtain them,
they require only to obey the laws of
nature and return to their original
conformation.-Ana. chronological Jalsr
nal
Several hundred Irish migrants, re-
Gently arrived, are leaving New York
every week, on their way back to their