The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-03-09

Those interested in chimpsnzees should
hasten 10 tho Geological Gardens ana
make the acquaintance OF Bllly for
though this interesting antropoid ape
may eat. drink and be merry today. he
may be dead tomorrow. says The Phila-
dslphia Record.
IL Is extremely Improbable that this
lively chimpanzee will live long enough
TO attain his full size. A year or SO In
live long enough TO grow up Billy would
be five feet In hight, while, as IT Is, he is
from twenty-six 10 twenty--eight inches,
and about 3 years OF age lie came to
the Zoo last July.
Instead OF wondering at their short
Mr.. Brown. the superintendent, says 1t
Is wonder that they live at all. when
YOU consider that they have 90 be taken
when very young. endure the long, try
Ing voyage and then live In an artificial
atmosphere tthey'd die out OF doors) and
eat strange food.
chimpanzees are more rarely offered
for sale than orangs, and the pensive
Miss Boulan, YOU remember, was an
orang, While fhe orang comes mostly
from Borneo (some few being from the
low swampy part OF Sumatra) the Chin
panzee Is 60 be found over a great part
OF Africa. especially Western Africa
A late discovery by the way. has been
made by the distinguished explorer. Sir
III. IL. Johnson, who says that the gorilla
also is found over a much greater area
than has been suppossd-halfway across
I'm IA Brown
says IL had always been supposed 10 60
but a short distance inland.
While the orang. to come back 10 Bou-
Ian, has n brain and mental faculties gem
orally. bit more human than the chin-
panzee. other characteristics considered,
it's a little too nice ~ question to decide
etther way. The orang seems most intel
lgent TO the ordinary observer because of
Its moody. sluggish, phlegmatic way of
getting at things. while the chimpanzee
gets over so much ground In as short
time as to seem moro the moRkey.
Billy's cage is I'm the little mammal
house, and on IL Is card inscribed
"Chimpanzee. Anthropopithecus niger"
lie Is under glass for two reasons he Is
sensitive 10 atmospheric changes. and
he'd last no time at all with promiscuous
feeding
lie is fed upon sweet potatoes and milk
The potato he holds i'm his left hand
while with his right he makes sure OF his
cup. You'd think he'd be as gentle las
any sucking dove" upon his fare but no
In fact ID must he confessed that when
his keeper had taken him out. and Billy
had chung afrectionately TO his neck. and
yours truly had offered % shake hands,
Billy hit his wrist with the back of his
hand. While no damage was done, his
strength was amply proved. lie only
blinked when reminded that ne had not
held to Marquis OF Queenberry rules.
He excels at calisthenics and juggling
rather than pugilism, however. He's
very clever with ball. and as for skin
ming the cat" why. the small boy waxeth
enthusiastic there at.
And such a mouthful OF teeth, He uses
them chiefly for smiling (or making
faces) and testing the sewing on his
keepers buttons
In his favorite pose he has veritable
corset advertisement shape. Compared
with humans, his toes are long. while
his ears--well, his mother ought 10 have
bsndaged them.
Though devoted 10 mirror he II not
vain. He stares at his reflection in sur
prised delight for moment. and then
feels behind the mirror for the rest of the
other chimpanzee. And then regards his
keeper with pitiable. uncertainty. evil
IDENTIFY wondering whether it's trick or
the fault OF his own eyesight.
Billy has blanket. too, Aand when ''the
shades OF eve are falling" he draws the
drapefies of his -eeueA-about him and
''lies down TO pleasant dreams of dear
old Africa, and those 'he left behind
him."
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