Gorillas & ChimpanzeesGarner, R. L. (Richard Lynch)
Science
Gorillas & Chimpanzees
Garner, R. L. (Richard Lynch)
Chimpanzees; Gabon -- Description and travel; Garner, R. L. (Richard Lynch), 1848-1920 -- Travel; Gorilla
There is at least one case in which this crest has failed to develop in
the male. By reference to the series of skulls found in the cuts given
herewith, No. 6 is that of an adult male, which I know to be such, as
I dissected him and prepared the skeleton myself. He was killed
in the basin of Lake Fernan Vaz, not more than two or three hours from
my cage, and his body was brought to me at once. A good idea of his
size can be obtained by reference to another cut given herewith, where
I have some natives skinning him. In this picture he is sitting flat
on the sand; his body is limp, and is somewhat shorter than it was in
life, and yet it can be seen that the top of his head is higher than
the hip of the man who is holding him. On the left of the gorilla, in
the foreground, sits the man who killed him. He is sitting on a log,
and it did not occur to me until too late to place them side by side
in order to make a comparison. The body and head of this gorilla as
he sits measured nearly four feet from the base of the spinal column
to the top of the head. I did not weigh him, but made an estimate by
lifting him in my hand, and believed he weighed at least 240 lbs. Yet
he was not an old specimen, but if compared to No. 7, in which the
crests are well developed, it is found to be larger, and other things
point to the fact that he was older.
I am aware that one specimen of itself does not prove anything, but it
shows in this case that this ape does not always develop that crest.
His head was surmounted by the red crown which we have described,
and No. 1, which is the skull of Othello, had the same mark. He was
captured near the place where No. 6 was killed. No. 2, which is the
skull of a young female nearly four years old, had the same, and she
was also captured in the same basin, but on the opposite side of the
lake.
The facial bones of No. 6 showed that the animal had received a severe
blow in early life, but the fragments had knitted together, and the
effect could not be seen in the face of the ape while alive. In this
same picture it will be noticed that the lower lip hangs down so low
that the mouth is opened. The lip is very massive and mobile, and in
this character he resembles the negro. The lower lip is much thicker
and more flexible than the upper.
No. 8 is the skull of a large male from Lake Izanga, which is on the
south side of the Ogowe River, more than a hundred miles from the
coast, and is one of the three centres of population mentioned. I do
not know its history. It was presented to me by Mr. James Deemin, an
English trader with whom I travelled many days in the Ogowe River; and
I wish here to take occasion to express my sincere thanks to him for
the many kindnesses extended to me.
No. 5 is the skull of an adult female. By comparing it in profile to
No. 6 it will be seen that they resemble, but the muzzle of the latter
projects a little more, and the curvature of the skull across the top
is less: the distance a little greater.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account