Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-08-10
LITTLE LE>S THAN KIN.
By Rrv. THEODORE WOOD, F.E.s.

BY RIV. THEODORE WOOD, F.E.s.
Quite irrespective of the more or less
distant relationship which is by many
supposed to exist between the two. the
members OF the monkey race will prob
ably continue to exercise a strong fas-
cinatIOn over the mind of nature low
ing man. Probably it was in this fact
that King Solomon found his reason
for including these animals amongst
his royal curiosjties. Be that as it
may, they hsd a special place in the
palace gardens of ''the Preacher, the
son Of David, Kirg of Jerusalem. "
And still, the man who would give his
"heart to search out by wisdom all
things that are done under heaven, Z"
may find material for interest and
Thought, if not also for humiliation,
IN these strangely composed creatures.
There Is something in their impIsh
cunning, something IN their seeming
possession of mental characteristics
otherwise unknown in the lower crea-
ton, something, IN short, in their
grotesque resemblance to a de egradel /
humanity, VIII ch charms while it re-
Hels, and gives, and must give, to these
strange beings an unique attraction in
the eyes of all students of the animal
world. And as there are very few of
us-Hlthough perhaps we know it not
who are not in some degree students
OF this mountaineering kingdom, this
Is equivalent to saying that monkeys
have an interest for us all.
The term monkey" is a comprehen-
sive one, for 1t includes creatures so
widely disslmilar as the goril la
and the lcmurs, the chacma, and
the m6rmoset At one end of the scale
We have an animal which some writer's
seem to consider as almost half a man,
and at the other end another which is
certainly almost half a bat. And
though we NAV subdivIde the family
into apes. gibbons, baboons, monkeys
proper, and lemurs, yet by the popu-
lar mind the distinction is never drawn,
and monkey Is a monkey, although it
may have little that is really monkey
like about 1t.
Greatly ID it TO be desired that we
might have more frequent and more
favorable opportunities for watching
the habits of the great apes in cap
tiyity. 1t is said that no adult gorilla
has ever as yet been taken alive; cer-
tainly none has ever been brought
to Europe. And, until the fsbled
unicorn is discovered and captured,
one can hardly conceive of a more at
tactive and interesting addition to a
menaRerie. We have, 1T is true, more
than once succeeded in bringing Q
Juvenile gorilla from across the sea,
but only TO find, either that travellers
are altogether wrong in their state
ments regarding the animal, or else
that the gorilla in early life is total
ly different being from the gorilla in
maturity. Probably the latter is the
more likely. Undoubtedly the young
gorilla does lack that expression of
brutal, savage ferocity which is 30
painfully CONSPICUOUS in even the most
1l-prepared skin of the adult. Ger
tain, too, it Is that the young animal
ls umorous in the last degree, and is
SO painfully shy when under observa-
tlon that to gain any idea of its real
character CT it's natural habits is alto
gether impossible. When "Gena''
WAS brought to the Crystal Palace
come ten years ago, enjoyed almost
unique facilities for observing her dur,
ing the whole of her lamentably brief
existence. L was present when her
case was unpacked, together with q
number of others, who probably.
like myself, we're expecting to see a
wild and furious monster, of hideous
aspect and gigantic strength, tearing
at the bars of its prison, in foaming
but impotent fury. And all that we
did see was a covering little black crea-
ture, about two feet high, doing her
best to hide behind a chimpanzee,
her companion in captivity. And in
all the three subsequent weeks do not
think that l once saw the poor little
animal otherwise than in a state OF
pitlable timidIty. She never for a mo,
ment seemed to leave her self-ap'
pointed protector, which, with barred
teeth and cleaning eye, fiercely re
sented any attempt to separate 1t from
its tiny charge. She never responded
even to the advances of her keeper, mol
betrayed the least interest when ap'
preached in the manner tradltionally
dear 70 the monkey nd. But this
may have been owing to the weakness
and weariness caused by the rapid in
roads nt disease; for before the month
was out the poor little gorilla had sue
cumbed to rapid consumption.
The seeds of this fatal complaint
seem to tie sown in almost all the
larger apes almost as soon as they leave
the torrid climate Of their native land.
Their bright activity rapidly gives
way to a dull apathy; the frame is torn
by racking cough; the piteous, plead.
ing look IN the eyes gives one weird
impression that the sufferer is sadly
familiar with death. and loresees the
successive steps of Its deadly com
plant. And in few short months, al
the most, all is over.
10 this sad rule the only exception is
IN the case of the chimpanzee, which
seems TO be of harder constitution
than Its fellows, and occasionally lives
IN eXpatliation and confinement to
what, comparatively speaking, is a
green ola age. Quite recently passed
from US the lamented sally" of Re.
gents Park celebrity, who for nearly
eight years had been one of the stand
ing attractions of the Gardens, and, un-
ger The able tuition of a persevering
keeper, had acquired the art of cor
fectly counting up to five, with other
accomplishments of almost equsl note.
ar the chimpanzee stands, as Tar ss