CHAPTER VIII.
A Famous Chimpanzee—Mr. Crowley of Central Park—His Origin and History—Details of his Early Life—His Training and Accomplishments—Elating at Table with Knife, Fork, and Spoon—Furniture of his Apartment—Drinking from a Cup—What he Eats and Drinks—His appreciation of Music—Refusal to wear Clothes—Ill of Pneumonia and Recovery—A bad Temper—The Gorilla and his near Relatives—The Gorilla at Home—Du Chaillu's Experiences—Friendship between a Dog and a Gorilla—The Orang-outang—His Home and Habits—Performances of a Baby Orang—The Gibbon—Gentlest of the Monkey Family—Mr. Newmian's Pet—Long-nosed Monkeys—Monkeys catching Crabs with their Tails—How the Traveler Lost and Recovered his Red Caps—The Monkey and the Mirror—The Orang that Saved the Child.
The afternoon of the day following the visit to the monkey theater was devoted to a visit to the collection of wild animals in Central Park. The special object of the visit was a famous chimpanzee known as Mr. Crowley, who was the wonder and admiration of many children and grown people on account of his intelligence and accomplishments.
Unfortunately for the interest of science and the amusement of the public, Mr. Crowley met the fate that befalls most monkeys who are brought from their tropical homes to colder climates; he died of pneumonia and pleurisy after having been several times dangerously ill.
Monkeys rarely live long in northern countries; they die of pneumonia or consumption, generally in a few months, in spite of the greatest care in shielding them from the effects of draughts or chills. The tailless monkeys are more hardy than the tailed ones, but even they are not proof against the rigors of the north.
From his own observations, aided by free quotations from a little book entitled “Mr. Crowley of Central Park,” by Henry S. Fuller, George prepared the following description of this remarkable animal: