Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-11-07
SMART MONKEYS,
Professor Aaeckers understanding
" Human Charaekeristles.

l'FolSeSoI TaSCkclS Studt cG-=Strtktnus
~ Human characteristics.
Prof, Ernst Haeckol, the eminent
evolutionist who Is now In the East
indies, has been studying, as our Ber,
lin correspondent Informs us. says
tho London Standard, the habits OF
the anthropoil npes For that pur.
pose he has naturally selected Java.
the former home of the pthocanthro
pus, but M he has not come upon
any now representative of tho miss.
inc link" he has Contented hlmsolf
With watching the ways OF Hylobates
lcuciscus, n spccics Of gibbou peculiar
to that island. This genus, in which
are several species, Is restricted 10
the warmer parts OF Soutsh eastern
Asia and the East Indian Islands. In
| two of these, Bornea and Sumatra,
tho ouNngoutRng also has It's homer
The remaining anthropoids--two
species of chimpangoo and the gorilla
-belongtng to tho African continent
Tho gibbons, though In some respects
less highly organized than the rost
resemble man more closely In the
skull. The face of Professor Haoc
kerE specimen reminded him, he saya.
of the manager Of an insolyent bank
bordering over the results Of the
crash. They are all smallor than
tho Other anthropods, the laWost be-
ing only n little moro than three feet
! high; their legs are short but their
arms long, Living mainly among
Trees they are wonderfully agile, AH
may often be seen In the geological
gardens, and In swinging from bough
to hough would surpass the most on.
! pert gymnast In captivity they be
como tame and are sometimes strlk.
inEly human in their ways The pro
foesor's observations confirm earlier
accounts, but apparently have not at
present established much moro than
we know before. His gibbon uaes
distinct intonRtiouE TO express dit.
feront emotions, has learned to drink
! from n cup showing a decided liking
! for milk, cocoa, and oven, such ia
simion dcprayity. for sweet wine. IL
! pols bananas and oranges IN human
! fashion, and does sOmothlng,tO main
tain the character OF bewitchcd man.
as the Mnlays think the gibbon 10 be.
That tho creature possesses rudlmen.
tary mental powers, like those of its
fellow anthrOpolds, cannot be doubted
This, however, Is also true of many
other kinds Of monkeys. Indeed. M
the late DIR. Rumuues showed IN his
book ON Animal Intelligence" other
less highly organized mammals might
lay claim to this, He cteR instances
to prove that monkeys win comfort
their fellows when hurt, nurse Thorn
when sick and even mourn for their
death. Ourangg and one of the In.
dian monkeys are said to even carry
away the body of Il slaughtered com
radc Mothers sometimes correct
their children in approved fashion,
grasping the offender by the TAIL and
the Cape balloons have been known
to roll down rocks on assAIlants. A
monkey which Dr., RomunCB kept for
purposes OF study used TO hurl any
thing handy at anyone who had Of.
Tended It, provided always that II so1
nv fhihf WI AhN bithbllNt tfliA' ~ hAAN
chievous child, Il delighted In dostrus-
ton--broaldng glass or Crockery. and
tearing up documents or stuffs. II
broke nuts with hummer, found out
how to unBcrow the handle OF a hearth
brush. and then managed 10 screw II
In again, and even uscd q key 10 turn
q took. But Sally, the well known
- Rsyl
for some years In Regents Park, went
beyond this monkey and so far AZ
we can learn. she has not been TAX,
en- down in class by Professor
Haeckels gbbon or her also DR..
Romanes made a study and many win
remember her performances. She
could drink from cup feed herself
with n spoon and, among other things.
learned by the time she had been
there six years TO count accurately up
TO that number, getting before she
died as far as 10. But she seemed
unable To recognize colors. and though
an on pgIpsddg 6aul 'oas OF StqB at9A
she uttered sounds. each Of witch
had n distinct meaning. such asassent.
dlstrust, refusal, thanks, recognition.
or fear. these we're OF the most ele
montary kind and nothing like con
versation. Apes, In fact. notwlth.
standing certain more recent investi-
cations. seem TO talk as much or as
little az other animals and nothing
in Professor Haeckel's studies. though
doubtless the results will be interest
ing, seems to have narrowed the gap
between the lowest OF man and tho
highest OF monkeys.