Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1935-09-05
Worlds Only
Chimp Twins
Have Birthday
Rival Dionne Quints
as Scientific Marvel
By MARJORIE VAN De WATER

ORANGE PARK, FLA.-The
twins, Tom and Helene, are to the
chimpanzee world what quintu-
plets are to the human family.
They are the only pair of undoubt-
edly genuine chimpanzee twins
known to science. Their first
birthday has just been reported here
to the scientific world.
The story of their development, the
cutting of their baby teeth, their learn
ing to crawl and walk and climb, and
their mental growth has now been told
by their scientific guardians, DIR. Rob-
ert M. Jerks, of Yale university and
Michael /. Tomilin, who had so much
to do with their upbringing that, as
he puts it, he was accepted as mem
Der of the family.
Mona, the mother, has been called
IAN experienced mother" She had al
ready had three babies before the
twins arrived. Recently a grandchild
of hers, the first civilized" chimpan-
zee grandchild born of a captive
born mother, arrived and was an
nounced to the scientific world.
Mother Favors WeakIings.
Twins provided no thrill to Mona.
Rather she seemed bored with this
doubling up of her maternal duties.
Nevertheless, she gave them good care
and was particularly gentle with tiny
Helene, who. was the weakling. This
tenderness toward the Trailer infant
was Of great interest to those watching
her, because, so far as is known, none
of the lower mammals ever discrimi-
nate in favor Of a weakling or runt.
"Such discriminative attention as
was manifest in this case of chimpan-
zee mother and twins may chance to
be peculiar to the primates or to the
anthropoid apes and man." the scien-
lists report.
The twins were perfect little crea-
lures when born but extremely tiny
only about two or three pounds in
weight-and very weak. Helene was
especially weak and inactive. 1t was
not until the fourth day after her birth
that she was able to nurse. But due to
her mothers good care, she picked up
weight and was even larger than her
twin brother for the first six months.
After that Tom took to his supple
mentary feeding better than Helene
and soon outstripped her in growth,
becoming quite a husky little fellow.
Personalities Differ.
The first teeth came in the same
order that the human baby cuts them,
but because Of the more rapid develop
ment of the apes they appeared much
earlier.
Personality difference were as obvi-
GUS in these chimpanzee babies as they
would be in any pair of human in
fants. Tom was always the adventur-
er, aggressive, eager and playful.
Helene, the mothers favored one, was
relatively timid. shy and backward. 1t
was she who hesitated to make friends
with Tomilin. She would cling shyly to
her mother, and as she grew older
would run to her brother for protec-
ton. 1t was six months before the
twins recognized each other as play
mates, and then it was Tom who would
take the initiative in their monkey
shines.
Even undetermined Mona would
rock her babies to quiet them, however.
When the little one was restless or
complaining, the mother would hold
her hand or arm under the baby and
then move her arm rhythmically back
and forth until the child was soothed
to rest.