RECORD: S314a. Wallace, A. R. 1879. A gorilla at the Crystal Palace. The Times No. 29652 (21 August): 10.
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed (double key) by AEL Data. RN1
A GORILLA AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE.—A young female gorilla, recently brought from the West Coast of Africa to Liverpool, and there purchased by Mr. Garcia, at a large price, for exhibition, was yesterday privately shown at the Crystal Palace to a small party, among whom were Mr. Alfred R. Wallace, the author of "The Geographical Distribution of Animals," and the Rev. J. G. Wood. The interest of the exhibition was increased by the presence of a chimpanzee, somewhat older than the gorilla, and the many differences between these species are more strikingly seen when two of these creatures are thus brought into company. The chimpanzee is a male, probably between two and three years of age, and he not only treats, his companion very tenderly himself, but takes good care that no other creature shall approach her. A monkey being placed in their cage, with the idea that his presence would enliven them, the chimpanzee immediately attacked the stranger and bit three of his fingers clean off. The brownish yellow skin of the chimpanzee shows distinctly through the black hair that covers him; his eyes are of a hazel brown, and his ears stand out prominently. He takes little notice of his visitors beyond giving an occasional sharp glance at any now comer, but he recognizes and greets his keeper with a grimace which is something broader than a rudimentary smile, and holds out his right fore-paw to shake hands with him. The gorilla seems at present to be very tractable in disposition, and sat very quietly yesterday, fixing her large black eyes on one and another of those around the glass case in which the creatures are shown. The ears are small, and lie close to the head. Her skin is black, and so is the hair on the head, the body, and the limbs, there being scarcely a trace of that reddish tinge which has been said to mark the female. Their food on the voyage has been uncooked Indian corn and rice, tinned milk, a little fruit now and then, and sometimes a cooked meat bone to gnaw. At the request of Mr. Flood Page, the manager of the Crystal Palace, Mr. Wallace, who during his long stay in Borneo and the Malay Archipelago had opportunities of studying the ourang-outang, now gave an interesting account of the anthropoid apes, pointing out the distinctive characteristics of the two specimens before him. The great danger to the gorilla in this country, he said, was from lung disease. Those which had hitherto been brought to England had not survived the second winter. It was more important that they should have abundance of fresh air, he added, than that they should be kept very warm; though, of course, they ought not to be subjected to great or sudden changes of temperature. During the week the Rev. J. G. Wood will give a lecture daily on the apes and their habits.
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2012-. Wallace Online. (http://wallace-online.org/)
File last updated 26 September, 2012