A CRAFTY APE.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 October 1923, Page 4

A CRAFTY APE.

SYDNEY, (let. I. Avoiding to the Director of tile Zoological Gardens (Mr A. S. Ie Fhmel’) there is practically no difference temperamentally between humans and animals, after allowing for the Manliness of the animal mind. In oilier words, what i- regarded as instinct in an animal is really thought. Personality lie say.-, is manifested more especially among the great ape-. Sometimes they are villains; sometimes they are ul kindly disposition, and sweet and gentle, although one would not believe it to look at thorn ; and sometimes, again, they are very jovial. Lie tells the story of a big ape at the Zoo ai Tnroiiga Park which -set the children laughing, and just when they were bursting with laughter lie would pickup a nice soft banana in the cage—the softer the heller—and throw it at the youngsters. They have to be very careful, indeed, never to let any of the apes in captivity have a tool.

In Hi is connexion, Mr lo Souef, in a most, fascinating lecture a night or two ago, recalled (In' disc: of a big chimpanzee at the old Sydney Zoo ai. Moore Park. A earpoliter bad passed some tools into ihe old chap's cage. Willi a screwdriver lying in llie cage ihe chimpanzee unfastened the hinges of tin- door, and went, straight to the adjacent refreshment- room, sat on the counter, and took charge. Ho was put back into the cage, lml it was not long before be found a piece of wire. With this lii‘ tore away a good deal of the cage, but lie could not get through til*' thick phite-gla-.«. However, there was a tree in the middle of the rage, nod on this lie swung himself. Swinging as hard as he could, l.e suddeiih let go, struck the thick glass with his hack, crashed through, and walked oil' again —to the refreshment room. The same chimpanzee broke the glass of his cage a third time. Again, many of our birds, according to Mr le Souof, can put humans into the shade when it comes to navigation. Our swifts and other birds, he says, go from hero to Siberia every year. and. flying probably by nigbt, do the long journey in about a week. They rest by day, at a proper resting place, given out no doubt, by one of the old males, the leader of tbe band. Here one sees the exercise not merely cf thought, but of ihe sense of direction. How many human.-. u fitted with wings, could find their way to Siberia ?