CREATION BY EVOLUTION
ness of the ordinarily care-free and irresponsible little chimpanzee for ill or injured companions. In the Abreu collection there was for a while opportunity to observe the social relations of three individuals whose age certainly was not above five years. In the same cage were a little male and two females, one of the latter mortally ill. She was so ill that much of the time she lay on the floor of the cage in the sunlight, listless and apathetic. There was excellent opportunity to observe the attitude of her lively companions toward this helpless invalid. In all their boisterous play they scrupulously avoiding disturbing her, and, in fact, seldom touched her as they climbed, jumped, or ran about the cage. Now and then one or the other would go to her and touch her gently or caress her; or again one of them, fatigued or worsted in some game, would obviously seek refuge and respite by going close to her. In this position safety from disturbance was assured. A certain solicitude, sympathy, and pity, as well as almost human expression of consideration were thus manifested by these little creatures.”
Chimpanzees are eminently social animals and are quick to resent an injury done to one of their number. (Fig. 4.) When one of them is punished “the whole group,” says Kohler, “sets up a howl, as if with one voice.” The excitement thus expressed has nothing of fear in it, and the group does not run away. On the contrary, they try to get to the place of punishment, even if they are separated from it by a railing. The lightest form of punishment, such as pulling the ear of the offender or a playful pretence at punishment, often stirred single members of a group to much more decisive action. “It was, in particular,” says Kohler, “little weak Konsul, who would run up excitedly, and, in the way little chimpanzees have of expressing their wishes, with a
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