The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-11-19

DIR. Lemercier, of Paris, delivered a
lecture at the Cooper Institute, New
York, Monday evening, on the Gorilla.
We quote from a report in the Times;
The gorilla, be said, like other ami
mails, Is organized to do certain things.
to walk in certain manner, TO have
particular functions to serve Its matert-
al life, and nothing more. It was dis
covered in Central Africa In the year
1912, by an American missionary named
Walker. Before that time scientific
men had believed that between man
and the chimpanzee there must be
connecting link, but what that link was
no one was able to show. Only two of
these animals had been thoroughly dis
seCted in Europe. one by Prof DIVER
nov, and DR.. AuZox, OF Paris. None
have ever been seen alive in Europe,
It's muscles are ofimmense strength, so
that 1t has the power of eight men. The
gorilla is entirely different In its struc-
lure from man. The lower extremities
of the body of the gorilla are very
short, and the spinal column Is greatly
curved. The animal Is made to look
downward, and is not formed to walk
upriRhtly. Whenever II assumes per-
pendicular posture 1t does SO accident
ally. The arms are much longer than
those of man, and when the animal
walks Its body Is sustained by the
hands, the backs Of which rest upon the
earth. In the chest of the gorilla we 61d
an enOrm us cavity, surrounded In the
males by 10 pairs OF ribs, and in the fe.
males by fourteen pairs of ribs. The
females are much smaller than the
ed, and are attached TO the hips by
means of strong ligaments. The Leo
turer humorOusly remarked that the
gorilla could not easily wear our mod
ern corsets the construction OF which
he pronounced exceedir gly faulty. The
muscles are different from those OF
man, being modified for the particular
movements which he performs. They
are nicely adapted for climbing and
jumping, and are much larger than the
human muscles. A wounded gorilla
has been known to easily break gun
atock in pieces with his powerful hands.
In each arm pit, beneath the outer mus
Giles, there is a large bag, which is u
continuation of canal fn the larYnx,
and by this means the animal Is ena-
bled TO expel a great quantity OF air from
the throat. II was no eXagEerAtIon, the
lecturer believed, TO say that the voice
of the gorilla had been heard in The
forest at a distance OF three miles. The
muscles of the hands and arms are
somewhat Ike those OF man, bnt the
thumbs of the gorilla are comparatiVe.
ly much shorter and not adjusted In the
same manner as are those OF man. The.
most noticeable feature of difference
between the gorilla and the human bs-
ing 10 found In the structure of The head.
The skull and brain of the former are
not at all Ike those OF the latter. The
Rorilla's head Is larger than ours, but
the brain is much smaller in
comparison. When the gorilla is
young, the face is short and
the head round. The brain of the lion
Z "a al n oil - fGl
smaller than that of the gorilla. and
hence the latter Is more Intelligent than
the former. The brain OF the lion does
not cover the cerebelIum, the later be-
Ing located behind the large brain.
The ourang .outang, chimpaDzse and
gorilla, with man are theionly animals
In whom the front brain covers the
small, lower BRAIN AS the gorilla
grows, Its jaws are greatly elongated,
and sharp, bony ridge grows out of
the skull running in a direct line from
the head of the spinal column on the
top Of the forehead. The ridge increas
esfn height every year, and in the old
gorilla Is very fully developed. The
brain OF the gorilla does not grow per-
ceptibly, but remains OIL about the same
proportions from infancy upward. The
crantal capacity of the gorilla averages
only about 34H cubic inches, while that
OF man has been known TO reach IA
SuolS ihoneSs II may Us SAle1y cOuClu-
ded, then, said the Doctor, that materi.
ally and morally, there Is not the
slightest ground for comparison be.
tween the two species. It Is sheer nom
sense to say that the gorilla is our great,
great, grandfather. He was not our
progeniEor. The gorilla has probably
existed as long as men have, and who
can show US any perfection in his orr
gHDtzntion. Like other animals the
gorilla can be improved by man, but IL
itself Man Is the only
creature which can develop Itself. BE
can perfect himself by his own power.
Tho gorilla is simply BE- asst, and moth.
Ing more, Hew born thus, and must
always remain the same. $50