Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-11-07
SMART MONKEYS.
Professor Haeckels understanding
ly Human characteristics.

ly Human characteristics.
Prof. Ernst Haeckel, the eminent
evolutionist who is now In the East
Indies, has been studying, as our Ber-
lin correspondent informs us, says
the London Standard, the habits OF
the anthropoid apes. For that pur.
pose he has naturally selected Java,
the former home of the pithecanthro-
pus, but as he has not come upon
any new representative of the miss
ing link" he has contented himself
with watching the ways of Hylobates
leuciscus, a species of gibbon peculiar
to that island. This genus, in which
ere several species, is restricted to
the warmer parts of Soutsh-eastern
Asia and the East Indian Islands. In
two of these. Bornea and Sumatra
the ourangoutang also has its homeI
the remaining anthropoids--two
species of chimpanzee and the gorilla
belonging to the African continent
The gibbons, though il some respects
less highly organized than the rest,
resemble man more closely in the
skull. The face of Professor Haec-
kel's specimen reminded him, he says,
of the manager OF an insolvent bank
bordering over the results of the
crash. They are all smaller than
the other anthropoids, the lagest be-
ing only little more than three feet
high; their legs are short. but their
arms long. Living mainly among
rees. they are wonderfully agile, as
may often be seen in the geological
gardens, and in swinging from bough
to bough would surpass the most ex.
pert gymnast. In captivity they be-
come tame and are sometimes strik-
ingly human in their ways. The pro-
fessor's observations confirm earlier
accounts, but apparently have not at
present established much more than
we know before. His gibbon uses
distinct intonations to express diff
ferent emotions, has learned to drink
from a cup, showing a decided liking
for milk, cocoa, and even, such is
simian depravity. for sweet wine; ii
pels bananas and oranges in human
AhShAOhs ohN hONb 6OlhtAulnS W
tain the character Of a bewltched man.
as the Malays think the gibbon to be.
That the creature possesses rudimen-
tary mental powers, like those OF it's
fellow anthropoids, cannot be doubted |
This, however, is also true of many
other kinds of monkeys. Indeed, as
the late DR.. Romanes showed in his |
book on animal Intelligence" other |
less highly organized mammals might |
lay claim to this. He cites instances |
to prove that monkeys will comfort |
their fellows when hurt, nurse them |
when sick and even mourn for their
death. Ourangs and one OF the In. |
dian monkeys are said to even carry |
away the body of slaughtered com
rade. Mothers sometimes correct |
their children In approved fashion,
the offender by the tail, and
the Cape balloons have been known
10 roll down rocks on assailants. A
which Dr. Romanes Kept for
purposes OF study used to hurl any
thing handy at anyone who had Of
tended IL. provided always that It set
no value on the missile. Like a mis-
,hievous child, it delighted in destruc-
glass or crockery. and
earring up documents or stuffs. II
broke nuts with hammer. found out
low TO unscrew the handle of hearth
brush, and then managed to screw II
n again, and even used a key to turn
/ lock. But Sally, the well known
,ald-faced chimpanzee. which lived
or some years In Regents Park. went
beyond this monkey, and, so far as
We can learn, she has not been TAX
N down in class" by Professor
daeckeps gibbon. OF her also DR..
2omanes made a study and many will
remember her performances. She
,ould drink from a cup, feed herself
With a spoon, and, among other things, I
earned by the time she had been
here six years to count accurately up
o that number, getting before she
lied as far as 10. But she seemed
lnable to recognize colors, and though !