The illustrated story of evolutionGauvin, Marshall J. (Marshall Jerome)
History
The illustrated story of evolution
Gauvin, Marshall J. (Marshall Jerome)
Evolution (Biology)
If any organ in the human body could distinguish man as a creature
standing apart, and argue that he has not been evolved from ape-like
ancestors, that organ should be the brain. But the brain yields
surprising evidence of man’s kinship with these creatures. Fig. 42
is introduced to show the remarkable similarity in the brains of the
anthropoid apes and men. The lower four are the brains of apes; the
upper one to the right is the brain of a Bushman, and the one at the
upper left is the brain of an European. Mark that while the brains of
the apes differ from one another, there is also a striking difference
between the brain of the savage and that of the civilized man. Observe,
too, how wonderfully these ape brains resemble the human brains, not
alone in general form, but also in the number and depth of their
convolutions. In fact, the brains of man-like apes and men consist of
the same parts—the cerebrum, the cerebellum, the corpus callosum, and
the hippocampus minor—and in both anthropoid and man the cortex of the
brain is folded in essentially the same convolutions.
[Illustration: FIG. 40.—HAIR TRACTS ON ARMS OF MAN AND APE.]
If any thoughtful person is still unconvinced of man’s rise from
ape-like ancestors, let him compare his mental image of some human
beings he has seen with Fig. 43.
Consul II, a chimpanzee from Borneo, now in England, sits at the table,
tucks his napkin under his chin, uses a knife and fork, drinks his tea
from a cup, and has excellent table manners. After dinner, he sits
back, lights his pipe, and enjoys a smoke. He washes himself with soap
and water, dresses himself, shines shoes carefully, and, like a hotel
waiter, expects a tip for his service. Another, and far more remarkable
anthropoid, is Snooky, the educated chimpanzee who frequently appears
in the “movies” in the Chester Comedies. Dressed like a man, this ape
smokes a cigar, pretends to read a paper, poses as a chauffeur, rides a
tricycle, takes care of children, performs capers with boys, and takes
various parts with men and women. So intelligent and humorous is the
acting of this chimpanzee, so clever and human-like are its numerous
performances, that it is justly advertised as the “humanzee.”
[Illustration: FIG. 41.—THE HEAD OF MISS JULIA PASTRANA.
(From a photograph by Hintze).]
In considering the relation between the anthropoid apes and men, we
must not suppose that apes or ape-like creatures underwent a sudden
transformation into human beings. The highest existing apes represent
a development that preceded the appearance of man, some authorities
think, by some two or three million years. The difference between these
creatures and man is therefore the measure of life’s upward rise by
slow steps during that inconceivable time.
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account