Gorilla

Gorillas are the largest extant species of primates. They are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies.

The Gorilla, Njina, or in the language of the natives, Mpungo, {Gorilla gina), the sole representative of the family of the Gorillas, is scarcely smaller but a great deal broader in the shoulders than a full-grown Man. The height of the male reaches on an average from sixty to seventy-two inches; the width of the shoulders thirtyeight inches. The females are smaller. The length and strength of the trunk and the upper extremities, the large. size of the hands and feet, the middle fingers and toes of which are joined by membranes, form the most prominent characteristics. The most striking features in the large head, which because of the shortness of the neck and its powerful muscles seems to be set immediately on the trunk, are the prominent arches of the eyebrows, the eyes lying deep in their sockets, the broad,' flat nose, and the large mouth, bounded by thick lips and provided with a fearful set of teeth. The hair is rather long, shaggy, of dark colors, gray, brown or reddish. The face is left free from hair to the eyebrows, as also the ears and the hands and feet laterally and at the extremities.

Title Brehm's Life of animals: a complete natural history for popular home instruction and for the use of schools. Mammalia Brehm's Life of Animals: A Complete Natural History for Popular Home Instruction and for the Use of Schools. Mammalia, Alfred Edmund Brehm. Authors: Alfred Edmund Brehm, Edward Pechuël-Loesche, Wilhelm Haacke, Richard Schmidtlein. Publisher: Marquis, 1896. Length: 606 pages. Subjects: Science › Life Sciences › Zoology › General Animal behavior Animals, Habits and behavior of Mammals Nature / Mammals Science / Life Sciences / Zoology / General. This IMAGE (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.This applies to the United States, where Works published prior to 1978 were copyright protected for a maximum of 75 years. See Circular 1 "COPYRIGHT BASICS" PDF from the U.S. Copyright Office. Works published before 1923 (in this circa 1896) are now in the public domain.

The artist here shows the Gorilla in his native forest and one cannot but be startled at the wonderfully human-like face.

The great Ape is In a striking pose, being at rest, yet alert, as the keen, hazel eyes plainly show. The large nostrils are wide open, the wide mouth firmly closed,' and the chin is resting upon the back of the huge muscular right hand that in turn lays upon the left fore-arm extended across the breast. At the first approach of danger all would be changed; the hair of the forehead and head would become erect and vibrate rapidly and its huge bellowings and violent beating of the chest would send awe if not terror to the bravest of Men.

It is still impossible to determine the native country of the Gorilla exactly. It seems to be found only in a relatively limited part of western Africa, or, more definitely speaking, in Lower Guinea. It has been seen on the coast between the equator and the fifth parallel of south latitude, and in the western parts of the adjoining mountains.

As it always lives in woods, it is not probable that it would be found to the south as far as the Congo or beyond the Gaboon country, at least as far as Cameroon, as that part of the continent has more rain, and, in consequence, abounds in woods. It is possible that the Gorilla also lives in those parts of Upper Guinea that are equally favored.

TEXT CREDIT: Brehm's Life of animals: a complete natural history for popular home instruction and for the use of schools. Mammalia