EXPERIMENTING WITH MONKEYS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 238, 6 April 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

EXPERIMENTING WITH MONKEYS

THE EFFECT OF CLOTHES.

Professor Alexander Sokolowski, of the University of Berlin, is now engaged upon a series of experiments designed to show the influence of clothes upon monkey nature. It has been recognised by philosophers —Thomas Carlyle among them—that clothes have a most important influence upon man. If man is so profoundly influenced by his clothes, shall we not find a similar condition in the case of his closely allied fellow creature, the monkey? This is one of the many interesting points which Professor Sokolowski proposed to investigate. The results he has obtained are amazing. When a chimpanzee was clad in the garments of refined society he advanced in culture a million years at !a jump. From being lotver than a savage in manners he rose to a pitch of elegance and refinement that would not have discredited the most fashionable circle? of Paris.

Most interesting is the behavior of ft young chimpanzee named Pompev It white flannel dress suit faced with cream colored satin brings out all that is best m his nature When he is wearing this elegant suit he behaves like a modll for a clothing advertisement. He will not allow a speak of dirt to touch his immaculate clothes. The whiteness and daintiness of the suit evidently give him intense pleasure, and a little dirt would mar that pleasure. It is significant that before he had his nne suit Pompey was not at all particular; in his manners, although always very bread and milk he would waste a good deal of it on the outside of his stomach ft?™ £° al bl " Was his favorite re «"rt ioi an afternoon nap. Prom the moment he wor« his new suit he gave up all those nasty habits. This case seems to prove that clean clothes are of the greatest value in promoting civilization in monkey and man. Z? P - y \?° thed ' beha ™d with great dignity ln the presence of lower animals | of the simian family instead of flying 'Ev ™» w i on g1 ailed Brazilian mon. key was introduced to him he played w»th his degraded relative in a -entle and forbearing manner. This, the professor believes, shows that clothes have a softening M d humanizing influence upon manners. "uueuee m Equally interesting were the «periments upon a lively young female baboon a member of a family inferior in development to the great anthopoid apes, but yet possessed of quite remirkable intelligence This young baboon wa* dressed up in a very passable copy of the costume worn, by Salome in the opera of that name. The costume consists mainly of jewels with a little gauze to hold them together. Incredible as it may appear, no sooner had Salome, the monkey, put on her wicked oriental costume than she became riotously wicked herself. She I danced about the room before the admiring professor, who felt that he had stepped into the shoes of King Herod, but I when he attempted to pat Salome as a reward for her performance, she scratched him severely. The lesson of this case appears to be that a female adorned with barbarous jewels will behave barbarously. T he / I ?L mpanzees an<l oran £ outangs showed themselves remarkably apt rn hS"*™ ea !, their food lite h ™ beings. When they were carefully dressed mi good clothes this aptitude JMcreased very rapidly. They learned quickly th* use of a napkin in protecting their clothes from food. Although they usually tucked their napkins under their chins they nevertheless showed a thoroughly intelligent appreciation of what they were doing. •'

Jumbo, a bright young orang outran*, has progressed so that he wears different suits of clothes for various occasions. He will not smoke a eirgarette until he nas put onXhis smoking suit. The professor has a female chimpanzee who will not take her afternoon tea until she has put on a becoming' tea-gown. As a rule the behaviour of the female monkeys improved noticeably in modesty and refinement when 'they were suitably dressed. This seems to show that real virtue lies in clothes. In order to spread abroad the knowledge of his interesting experiments, Professor Sokolowski gave a great reception to which-he invited all monkevs of recognised position belonging to circuses menageries and private persons. The visiting monkeys were received and entertained by those trained under the professor's directions.

Refreshments of various kinds were served. Cups of tea and cigarettes were handed around and nearlv all the visitors showed a keen appreciation of both these delicacies. The gentlemen waited upon the ladies, and some very interesting exhbitions of Simian good manners were given.

It was quite noticeable that the monkeys who were fully dres»sed behaved much better than those who came more or less in a state of nature. Indeed,

some of the scantily dTessed callers behaved so badly that it was necessary to lead them away by a chain.

A well-dressed lady chimpanzee showed unmistakable sigms of aversion when a scantily attired savage orangoutang offered her a cup of tea. She turned

awav her head and the savage, enraged by this mark of displeasure, drew her attention by pouring the cup of tea over her. Tin's was rather too much for the lady's recently acquired refinement. She turned her expressive features upon her barbarous relative and promptly sank he teeth into his left ear. They were separated, and the lady regained 1 her wellbred composure after the rude fellow

had been carried away howling. _ The humans who attended' this reception generally agreed that Professor Sokolowski had fully proved hi& point as to the civilizing effect of clothes. They were moreover disposed to believe that results of great interest and value to science might be secured by instructing monkeys in the habits of fashionable society.