The colour of the hair not only differs on different parts of the body,
but also in different individuals. On the crown of the head it is of
a reddish brown, or rarely of a decided brown or black. The hairs in
this region are sometimes dun-coloured at the root, greyish white in
the centre, and brownish red, shading into the dark brown tip. The
hair on the lips is sometimes of a blackish brown, sometimes whitish,
or both colours are found together. The hair growing at the sides of
the face is grey below, dark brown or almost black above. On the neck
and shoulders the hair is of a grey colour at the root, and gradually
becomes lighter towards the tip. In the centre it is brown, shading
into a lighter colour at either end, but this ringed form of colour
is not universal. The tips of the hair are dark, sometimes brown or
reddish. The hair on the back, on the upper arms and thighs, is whitish
or light grey for half its length, with a blackish brown ring towards
the tip, which is of a dark grey colour. Many of these hairs on the
back have two brown rings on them. The forearms, hands, shanks, and
feet are covered with hairs which are grey at the root, brownish grey,
dark brown, or black at the tip. Round the posteriors there is a circle
of white, grey, or brownish yellow hairs from 10 to 20 mm. in length.
In both sexes variations from the colour of the coat here described are
not rare. It has been already observed that the brownish red colour
of the hair on the head is sometimes exchanged for another shade. In
many individuals the neck, shoulders, and back are of a dark grey,
brown, or even black colour. In others the forearms, hands, shanks, and
feet are covered, like the rest of the body, with grey and brown hair
intermingled.
The second species of anthropoid apes is the chimpanzee. In this case
also we must consider successively the aged and young male, and the
aged and young female animals.
The full-grown chimpanzee is smaller than the adult gorilla. In this
species also the male is larger than the female. The chimpanzee is,
speaking generally, of a slighter build than the gorilla.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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