Evolution journal V33

06(75;^ Vol III No JUNE, 1931 20 Cents EUOLUnON A JOURNAL OF NATURE of Satuutl Hiit HANDS OF COUSINS — MAN AND GORILLA EVOLUTION Page June, 1931 Science Editor Advisory Board Scientific Henry Crampton E A Martin Dewey W'm King Gregory Paul E Allan Broms EUOLUTCON Clihu Thomson Contributing Editors Edwin Tenney Brewster Pauline H Dederer Carroll Lane Fenton Maynard Shipley natural science in combat bigotry and to Katterfeld L E Journal of Nature For popidar education Mann Managing Editor superstition and develop the open mind Horace Elmer Wood ^volution's staff Contributing of Editors for Women and knows how to make Natural THE GREATEST SCIENCE GATHERING strength- is ened through two additional science writers: Dr Pauline H Dederer is Professor of Zoology at Connecticut College Science interest- The American Paleontology since 1908, and Buffalo, has done is work field in the iiuthor of 25 of the Little Blue Books and of "Studies of Evolution the in Genus Spirifer," just published meet public noise It is making isn't paign of ''education." Hardly an issue of the numerous funteaching scientific journals without appears articles attacking the of evolution, purporting to disprove evolution on grounds or arousing the passions of readers by blam- ing evolution for crime waves, wars, "flaming youth," "degen- eracy ' of civilization," etc Of parents i^tin.v.i.g believing this iii.o F"'"-"" nonsense become convinced that the eternal welfare of their ' course,' children involved is The avowed purpose people to vote on Law, and Initiative Although most of this of fundamentalists to is force bership laymen interested all this Association them interesting Throop Hall Fee M Monday, June Reception, P Dr Thomas t1 eclinology, t i Hunt Morgan of the Cahfornia Institute d n j ii l ^l l the Retiring President, will both be present how foolish enough underit is to irregular appearance of try to situation is We have over serenity of their scholastic fact of evolution is raise extra If teaching is not con- no sign that is it is taken for granted in all University circles accepted everywhere is influ- so strong in the school adminis- tration that biology teachers in the Boston for his will, a is somewhat difficult I think, has in had youth that a liberal education, his body is it is all the capable of; whose intellect working order; ready, like a who has the ready servant of strength, is work that, as a clear, cold, and in smooth steam engine, to be turned to any High Schools are chors of the mind; whose mind is stored with a knowledge of the great and fundamental truths of Nature and of the laws of is full of life and her operations; and who, no stunted ascetic, fire, ous but whose passions are trained to come to heel by a vigorwill, the servant of a tender conscience; whether of Nature or of who art, to has learned to^ hate all vileness, to respect others as himself." No (Whole No 18) Published monthly by EVOLUTION PUBLISHING CORPORATION, 175 Second Class Matter Feb 11, 1931 at Post Office, New York, N Y under act of March 3, 1879 Editorial Hempstead, N Y Subscription ?2.00 a year; in lists of five or more, ^1.00; Foreign, 10c extra; Single copy, 20c; bundles ^ 4, this logic engine with all parts at equal and June Nowadays and does with ease and pleasure mechanism, subject of evolution alone AJJ D Address: Koute 10,000 In the HUXLEY ON EDUCATION "That man, love all beauty, EVOLUTION, least Founders Fund or for Library Subscriptions not free to explain evolution to their students In thousands all over the country the boards are so reactionary that, for the sake of their positions, teachers leave the of school districts But to meantime paid subscribers 5,000 kind of work, and spin the gossamers as well as forge the an- Right in Boston, in the very shadow of Harvard, the ence of superstitious bigotry tells you can send re-inforcements, so now, specifying whether been so trained some professors secure in the halls, seem to think Because the the last year funds to publish and make the necessary educational campaigns YOUR fined to "backwoods," as Evolution you more eloquently than anything we could write what our such questions by majority vote at the ballot box help, the help of every friend of science teaching, is needed in this great work QPPOSITION TO EVOLUTION of RE-INFORCEMENTS WELCOME The we must standing so that they will realize will be More detailed announcements may be secured by addressing Harry H Main, Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce By popular settle There -l The time to meet the situation is NOW way to meet it is Popular Education in Natural possible to give the people at least non-members Huntington Li- Dr Franz Boas of Columbia University, President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and of reason is 15, at Evolution on "The Antiquity of Man." first "break even" we must have at Science It ^2 for are at the California Institute of Technology a series of symposiums, the passion and prejudice will not even hear the voice the and many of the con- brary and Art Gallery Five evenings Public Lectures at the Greek Theatre in Griffith Park The day-time scientific sessions Then And among also invites to m.em- the vote they could probably carry most of the States If you wait until they have put the question on the ballot, it is already too late it in science, at is will to 20 vention sessions are open to the public Readers of question in every State that has the finally to control the nation Science, this country's leading scientists are members of should not be mis- very active with a preparatory cam- Advancement of from June 15 the 19,000 Registration moment Fundamentalism led because at the damentalist in Pasadena, Cal., will certainly find pRIENDS OF SCIENCE TEACHING much Association for the with fifteen sections and twenty-five scientific societies, ing to beginners Dr Carroll Lane Fenton has taught at the LJniversities of Cincinnati II ot 12 or more, l/3c 1931, Vol Ill Entered as ' EVOLUTION June, 1931 Page three the Land of the Gorilla In By WILLIAM KING GREGORY Professor of Vertebrate Paleontology, Columbia Unirersity; Curator of Dept of Comparatire Anatomy, American Museum of Natural History 'T~'HE African Anatomical Expedirion Columbia Uni- of and the American Museum J Morton, Associate Professor of of Natural History was versify by Dr Dudley initiated Anatomy and Surgeons in the College of Physicians For some time past Professor Osborn and the writer had only now completing two adult mountain gorillas in some region outside the Pare Na- bearing on the relative nearness or remoteness of man's rela- We decided but always friendly lively scientific Professor tionships to the existing anthropoid ape stock McGregor and Mor- had taken part in ton, Professor the discussion, but all recognized the need for more comprehensive comparative studies on the anatomy of the anthroothers also Hundreds poid apes, especially of fully adult gorillas and skins have been described by gorilla skulls there specialists, of but an almost complete dearth of well preserved adult is specimens in the anatomical laboratories of the world An whose interest centered problem of man's more or less upon the grand an exceptional opportunity origin, to study anthropoid apes in their natural environment, and to living bring back to their laboratories and classrooms something of the teeming pageant of Africa The ciate Henry C Raven, Asso- leader of the expedition was to search for our gorillas in the west of Lake Kivu comparatively easy to trable thickets in can mountains south- If the hunter can get near enough kill a gorilla, A which they are often found easily be skinned with the help of natives the heads of porters dead and camp on carcass can be carried back to membered it is even in the almost impenegorilla his dis- on poles or after gorilla skins or But we were not we wanted only the complete animal Thus it eventuproved necessary to carry a dead gorilla weighing about mountain side four hundred pounds down a very steep, rough skeletons; ally expedition to secure this material would give to several specialists launching encountered Its to the praiseworthy policy of tion only after the greatest efi^orts received permits to kill tional Albert in a work Owing the Belgian government to protect their gorillas, our expedi- debate been engaged field its serious initial difficulties Curator of the Department of Comparative Anatomy This was successfully through many miles of tangled jungle done by Mr Raven and his had stopped a porters after he feet of his charge by an infuriated male gorilla within fifteen being folresented gorilla found, in fact, that this rifle Raven who fortulowed and did not hesitate to rush at the intruder, He was rifle his with sure and quick was nately for himself was the which head, the through animal the shoot thus able to blood-vessels of the main only in American Museum of Natural History and Lecturer Zoology in Columbia University Mr Raven is well known in museum arteries of the head, the base camp, after tying off the with preservanve body Raven was able to inject the rest of the a in a metal tank fastened on top of in the for circles his previous zoological expeditions in Borneo, Celebes, Australia, Greenland H McGregor, Professor J who may be well known of the Department of Zoology, called the senior naturalist of the expedition, for is of avoiding injury to the body At fluid This stout pole, fluid, contained came down gravity into the great artery on the inner side of the thigh, of whence the external appearance of the man extinct races of Associate all Professor the Department of Anatomy, College of Physicians and Surgeons, is an authority on the anatomy and physiology mammalian York and colleagues, writer, is still New now is con- history How to the of near our camp eral region the be- Kivu) same gen- It also weighed about four hundred pounds and was anthropoids eight feet, six inches across the fossil tips of Its digestive various of parts Europe, Asia and Africa? first a Raven are they re- found did they in the also by (southwest of Lake whose jaws and teeth have been in gorilla, was secured male, problems relating earlier ^nthropoids: This to in fine condi- anatomy The second besides especially is cerned with lated Its tion reproductive was specimen ing studied by several specialists present the injected shipped subsequently sharing in the interests of his to The head separately preserved well system The then through the carotid artery This Engle of of the quickly penetrated to it parts of the body was T E and was forced by a long rubber tube carefully his reconstructions considered and Africa way How get into Africa? expedition, which New York m May, Courtssy American Museum oj Natural History captured in the Kivu, photographed where he fell, after brush and vines had been cleared away Left, Dr McGregor; right, Mr Raven; standing Dr Gregory One of two gorillas, left 1929, is *excerpts from march 1931, Columbia university quarterly its outstretched hands tract contained many bucketsful of green vege- table matter, as the gorilla exclusively a vegetarian is The vermiform appendix was very EVOLUTION Page four human Carefully prepared molds of the head and looking hands and feet of bust, McGregor in the animal were made by Professor this while field, its and finger toe prints were recorded by Professor Engle and the writer While made many and excursions into the jungle endeavor to get near enough to see the in the gorillas forest Native paths traverse the forest in various directions but the gorillas neighborhood are as a rule exceedingly wary and in this Nevertheless the members cult to approach the photographic conditions proved very unsatisfactory Late one afternoon, for example, we saw and heard them making down in ing our efforts a rough oval depression on the ground Others, including one or more in the thicket and branches and the large "nests" in the trees The next mornto secure motion or still pictures of the same adults, slowly climbed settled Some made the tangle of vines party of gorillas were defeated by their persistent hiding in the near-by thicket, although of them beating its After a short side down the river we could catch glimpses of one chest trip into the forest in the heart of the Belgian north of Stanleyville, Congo, the expedition proceeded and by steamer up the west coast to French Cameroon, thence inland into the rough, In will this region the gorillas live in Douala in hilly country small bands, roaming at wherever the forests have not yet been destroyed and some- times invading abandoned banana fields pened that was month baffled As we world after did not ap- will and these gorillas may have found their way into the Congo from the northeast is suggested by the following facts: the jaws and teeth of fossil anthropoid apes have been That forest first, found in Spain, France, Austria, named Dryopithecus species the teeth of the gorilla panzee; thirdly, many descended from, or closely related to be apparently of European surface of their soles In the wet season the country is inun- dated with an enormous rainfall, which changes the streams to, extinct species derivation lived in Asiatic or East But although the African anthropoid apes, along with other mammals, seem to have been derived from Europe or Africa we not know why the lowland or West African gorilla now found only on opposite sides of the Congo forest, why there is today a long stretch of forest territory between Asia, are or them which is occupied by the chimpanzees but not by gorillas In conclusion, it is contribute when they and on the other to those of the chimmodern African mammals appear other known from fossil bones found in Tertiary deposits of southern Europe may be found today in Africa; fourthly, it is known from fossil remains that in Miocene times various mammals shoot the animal through the head, for reasons already ex- on account of the padded (of fontani and Dryopithecus rhen- anus) show certain significant resemblances on the one hand to available In the dry season the animals heard the crackling Egypt, India, in formations of late Tertiary age; secondly, some of these fossil types now of leaves long before the hunter could get near and the anatomists of the several full-grown gorillas scientific results visible track hajj- ability in his unceasing efforts to ac- won through and skill mate no it be indebted to him for one of the rarest prizes that number of gorillas by the natives, Mr Raven preferred to rely solely upon his own efforts supplemented by those of a few native hunters, who wandered with him in the His task again proved forest in search of the elusive gorillas very difficult, partly on account of the wandering habits of gorillas and the difficulty of locating them in hundreds of miles of forest, partly because it was necessary to get close enough to slaughter of a started off they left month Thus and exceptional could come into the laboratories, the well preserved bodies of prove of organized drives, which have often resulted in the plained difficult a collector of long experience his patience diffi- of the party enjoyed a number of opportunities of seeing them, although their beds for the night and makes traveling very into torrents complish the objects of the expedition In the end, however, mountain-forest region the members of the in this expedition June, 1931 much too early to summarize the of the expedition The ulti- material which is being studied in connection with a general is review of the comparative anatomy of the higher primates Later, from all the available data we shall attempt to compile and fairly compact account of the chief resemblances a revised and differences between the ing man It may gorilla and other primates, includ- reasonably be hoped that this analysis may more precise evaluation of conflicting theories as to the time when, and the place where, and perhaps some of the reasons why, man's ancestors became recognizably different from their anthropoid cousins; but as in the case of many somewhat another as likely to to a scientific inquiry, the unforseen results are just prove to be the most important Hunting the Gorilla By HENRY Associate Curator, Comparative and A s soo.M as it was dawn we were up and shortly afterward ** set out to hunt was delightful to go into the forest with people, who understood the forest, whose home it accompanied me these was little We Four Batwa pygmies, professional hunters, first It climbed up the moutain through a mass of cold, wet bracken, then descended into a ravine through virgin est so dark that it seemed like twilight for- After about a half- hour of walking, very difficult on accoimt of the steep and slippery groimd, we came upon gorilla tracks and saw the remains of chewed-up stems About an hour from the time we began to follow the trail we were passing diagonally down a *EXCERPTS FROM MAY-JUNE, 1931, NATURAL HISTORY C RAVEN Human Anatomy, Museum American Steep slope toward a tiny stream Across the ravine sixty ot seventy yards away, we saw the vegetation move and we caught Then we must glimpses of an animal between the branches have been seen or heard, for there was a sudden short bark We followed across the stream and up the steep slope, climb- ing with difficulty where the gorillas could pass with ease ItC was much more difficult for me, with shoes, than for the bare- and still easier for gorillas and long arms Man's long legs are suited to the erect posture and not well adapted for going through underbrush, where he must often be doubled up footed, strong-toed, unclad natives, with powerful bodies, short We legs, were now getting close to the gorillas; we knew there ^ EVOLUTION June, 1931 was not a large troop, perhaps only three or four, but there was one big male among them, as we knew from the tremendous power in the bark he had given The pygmies were nerv- would rush at us We had gone less than hundred yards from the stream and were still going through dense underbrush when suddenly the rush materialous, saying that he three down ahead and The pygmy five By afternoon we had the gorilla out on the trail where I embalm him We then wrapped him in a large canvas tarpaulin and made him more secure on the litter I refused to leave him at night for fear a leopard or other animal might attempt to eat the flesh; so the natives made a little grass hut for me right there on the trail More porters arrived the folcould was lowing morning and I detailed several to go ahead to widen of me, cutting the vegetation, sprang trail The gorilla and litter together weighed more than hundred pounds However, the natives started off chanting and went along for some distance at fairly good speed After getting my paraphernalia packed in the loads I followed and caught up with them as they were trying to get up a very steep incline, where there was scarcely any foothold among the rocks and mud I had told them that we must reach camp by nightfall, but it was soon evident that this would be impossible As a matter of fact, it took two and a half days, during which there were severe electric storms that the natives claimed were caused by my having killed the "king of the mountain forests." They said the same thing happened when someone killed a very large elephant At night we simply had to sleep in the forest in whatever shelter we could make of leaves and branches ized with a terrific roar crouched Page shriek that the six but Museum Courtesy American of Natural History Pigmy Hunters, who helped Mr Raven hunt the carrying spears and brush-hooks back and raised ready to fire But the and did not come into sight We conand in a short time he rushed at us again his spear, while I stood trail This time he was directly at our the forest was a left, not ahead of us Here more open and we could see perhaps but still he did not come within sight little ten or fifteen yards, though we could see the vegetation move gave a As self started terrific under the I roar I tree but I did so me and coming I was afraid managed was going to be caught and raise my- I to step forward could see the great bulk of the gorilla above straight at me I fired at his head as I might on the wing The impact of the bullet knocked him down and I wheeled to the pygmies, yelling at them not to throw their spears I feared they would spoil my have Many fired at a bird specimen But they in turn shouted at me, "Shoot! shoot!" cold of the natives ran away as soon as it got dark and I trail between Lake Kivu and Nakalongi, there were natives passing along at intervals, and some of these were persuaded to help carry the gorilla The second gorilla was secured only three hundred yards from our main camp six days later All members of the ex- pedition took part in the various details of preservation of the specimen There was material to be preserved for histological purposes, casts to be up the slope One pygmy went ahead of me, holding in one hand his spear and in the other his little sickle He passed beneath a fallen tree and I had just stooped under this tree when the gorilla, closer than any time before, we Finally was always wet and never saw them again but as this was the main gorillas, gorilla stopped short, tinued on the it tailed measurements embalming made to of the hand, foot, be taken, etc and head, de- When we considered had penetrated the body thoroughly, the animal was bandaged, wrapped in blankets, and sewed up in burlap bags, these in turn coated with paraffin wax, and the that the whole again rolled fluid in heavy canvas tarpaulin used to carry this specimen from our A litter was again camp about four miles, was then placed in a motor truck and taken to Uvira, where it was shipped by steamer across Lake Tanganyika, then by rail from Kigoma to the coast, and put on an ocean and it steamer for America The was not dead When I looked around he was standing up like a man; it was plain to see that he was stunned I fired again and he dropped lifeless exactly fifteen feet away This animal was the most magnificent I had ever seen, gorilla weighing 460 pounds He was black and silver-gray, a power- courageous creature, determined to drive off intruders ful, from his domain Upon closer examination I The found this giant on his head and arms was as if combed only five minutes before The ^ilver-gray hair on his back was short and rather stiff Then came the time for quick action, for the specimen must primate as clean as could be be embalmed within a few hours the trail It long, shaggy hair must be got on to the trail, to ten feet up and down must be widened from a foot steep mountains for about twelve miles I sent a note to my companions asking them to send more porters While I examined the fallen gorilla, some of the pygmies were starting to make a bed or framework of sapling on which to carry him Courtesy American Museum of Natural Hiteor Carrying the Gorilla to camp, twelve miles over mountain trail — Page EVOLUTION six How June, 1931 Work Evolution By H J • MULLER Professor of Genetics, University of Texas Multiplication and Selection: Turning Accident into Order VIII TT This series concludes the Previous chapters re- article from which /idual, their derivation :ated by dotted connecting lines is indi- We may viewed the various theories suppose ibout the existence of seven of these des- that multiplication brought has seem incredible of the causes of evolution, that all the marvelous organizations in proved the randomness of cendants, the living things about us could have been mutations, traced their origin to the genes, and told of X-ray experiments that increased the number of mutation, indicated by a differently shaped the one of an advantageous nature, which mutations 15,000 per cent, is •^ does, at first sight, put together by anything partaking of the nature of accident But we must remember that it did not fall that it was made all together — once, and possible by that ahnost magical property which gene all at life indicating short wave radiation as a natural cause of evolution We'll send these chapters to any new sub- owes to the the power of multiplication of mu- tated individuals For many millions of years, blind chemi- scriber must have acted and interacted in times to build up ever different and cal forces early upon more complicated organic compounds and systems of comA turning-point was reached when from these shift- ing combinations those self-multiplying yet mutable materials which we call genes happened to become formed From that time on the different genes, or the little systems of organic matter containing an association of genes, would necessarily enter into a destructive competition for multiplication against until, step tion of the gene, by step, through mutation, or the altera- and heredity, or the multiplication of the gene, the complicated present day be worth our while It will how really the peculiar it is forms which turns now life to became closely just power of multiplication of mutant this trick of converting accident into order, by making such very extraordinary combinations of accidents possible as could not otherwise occur For some reason, this fundamental feature of the matter does not seem to have been fully realized In examining the process of evolution, let us be content at — in the path of progress, that occur amongst much Suppose organism we an the individuals lettered from ao carrying represented it now in Diagram I We to reproduce, it will Some tion, in combination or all of the other individuals of the previous genera- bearing mutations Whether or not they did may to fi, would not that the gi mutate as individual indicated itself If all different combinations just be the "good" combination —gj "natural selection," there would be one individual in forty-nine In Ition the _.^-,-._-.v:-» ;?-;.' ;;r: z-'-ZZ''-''', '' ,'' words, the ' one of these final indi- viduals, in the absence of natur^l selection, 1/49 It is would have been to be further