Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1886-12-03
INTELLIGENCE or THE APES.
anecdotes Of Monkeys - Gorilla and
Orang-A Degree of Reason.

anecdotes OF Monkeys - Gorilla and
Orang-A Degree of Reason.
The great man-like apes, as well a.
some Of the inferior. four handed brutes,
possess intelligence of an order that il
higher than that displayed by the dog or
elephant. Thus, 1t Is related of one of the
long-tailed American monkeys, that, hav-
ing cut himself once with a sharp tool, he
would not touch it again. or would handle
1t with the greatest caution. Lumps of
sugar were often given him wrapped in
paper, but sometimes live wasp was put
into the package. After this he always
FIRST held the package to his ear before
opening 1t in order to detect any move
ment within. An old pig-tailed baboon,
In captivity had habit of adopting small
cats and dogs, which she carried about
One of her pets, small kitten, scratched
this creature on one occasion. She
seemed much astonished and Immediately
examined the kittens feet, and without
more ado bit off the claws In both these
instances there was shaping of actions
In accordance with new and strange expe-
rience which must have been the result of
some sort of reasoning process similar to
what we ourselves are conscious of per
forming. They could not have been the
outcome of instinct, for that is the prod
uct of the experience of the species.
The larger apes, the gibbons, chimpan-
ices, gorillas, and orangs, show this same
ability to adapt means to ends, and at the
same time show affection, sorrow, COM
passion for a fellow being in Distress and
sometimes consciousness of having done
wrong In the shape of the brain these
men-like apes approach more closely to
man than any other of the brute creation.
1t must never be forgotten, however, that
although in general shape and in the ar
rangement of the elevations and burrows
upon the surface, so far as they go, there
Is this striking resemblance, yet in size
and weight their brains are widely sep
arated from that of man.
The heaviest brain belonging to one of
these creatures as yet examined has been
found only one-half the weight of the
smallest healthy human brain, although
the weight of the entire body of a full
grown male gorilla is nearly double that
of an average man. Again, that of the
orang seems to be of a higher type than
that of the others, still each of them has
some one C characteristic that makes it re-
semble that of men more than does that
of either of the Others There is vast
difference between individual monkeys
regarding the amount of intelligence they
are capable of developing under training
This difference seems to lie in the degree
each is capable of fixing his attention. If
the attention is easily distracted there is
little hope of teaching him anything
Their tendency to initiate is another large
factor in teaching them new muscular &C
tions. The orang has been observed to
display wonderful aptness in overcoming
difficulties. In fact, it is difficult to deny
them the possession of some degree
of reason. One of them wishing to open a
door, his keeper gave him bunch of if
teen keys the ape tried them in turn I'M
til he found the one he wanted. Cor.
Globe Democrat.