QUADRUMANA. 



55 



Tin; OuRANG-oi'TANii* (Simla sati/ru*, Lin ) 



Of all animals, this is reputed to bear the nearest resemblance to Man in the form of its bead, the magnitude of 

 its forehead, and volume of brain; tmt the exaggerated descriptions of some authors respecting this similarity 

 ■rise partly from the circumstance of ouly young individuals having been observed, as there is every reason to 



ive that, with age, the muzzle becomes much mure prominent [a fact now ascertained]. The body i- > ... 

 nitli coarse red hair, the face is bluish, ami the binder thumbs very short compared with the toes, l be lips are 

 capable of a singular elongationf, and possess great mobility. Its history has been much confounded with that 

 of the other large Apes, ami especially of the Chimpanzee ; but, after subjecting it to a rigorous analysis, I have 

 ascertained that it inhabits only the most eastern countries, such as Malacca, Cochin China, and particular!;. 

 great island of Borneo, whence it has been sometime-, brought by the route of Java, though very rarely. When 

 young, anil such as it has been seen in Europe, it is a very uiihl animal, that is easily rendered tame ami attached, 

 and which, by its conformation, is enabled to imitate many of our actions; but its intelligence appears to be 

 lower than has been asserted, not very much surpassing that of the Dog. Ca nper discovered, and has well des- 

 cribed, two membranous sacs which communicate with the glottis of this animal, and obstruct its voice ; but 

 he is mistaken in supposing that the nails are always absent from the hinder thumbs. 



There is an ape in Borneo, at present only known bj its skeleton, called the Pongo, which so closely resembles 

 the Ourang-outang in all its parts, am! by the arrangement of the cavities ami sutures of its head, that notwith- 

 standing the great prominence of its muzzle, the Bmallness of the cranium, and the height of the branches of the 

 lower jaw, we are inclined to consider as an adult, if not of this species of Ourang, at least of another very nearly 

 allied to it. The length Ol its arms, and of the apophyses of its cen ical vertebrae, together with the tuberosity of 

 its calcaneum, may enable it to assume the vertical position. It is the largest of known Apes, approaching to the 

 size of Man. 



[The Pongo has proved to be a second species of Ourang, covered with black, relieved with dark red hair, and which 

 at present is known only to occur in Borneo, where the Red! rurang has not been ascertained to exist. Both attain 

 the same large dimensions, and are distinguished as the Pithecu* Wormbii and P. Abelii. The} differ somewhat 

 in the configuration of the cranium, ami considerably in the profile of the face, as seen in the skull. A third 

 Species, also from Born 10, has more recently been determined by Prof. < •wen, of which Onl) B single adult skull has 

 been recen ed ; it announces a smaller animal, which has been named I', mono. The adult males of t] 

 have an inmunse projecting tuberosity on each cheek.J 



These < mrangs do not ordinarily assume the upright attitude, to maintain which they are obliged to raise, and 

 throw their long arms backward, in order to preserve a balance ; the outer edges onl) ol their feet are applied to the 

 ground, where they commonly progress by resting on the knuckles, and swinging the bod; forward between the 

 arms. Their structure is more designed for traversing the forest boughs ; and they are said to inhabit the upland 

 forests of the interior of their native countries. The old males are reported to be Bavage and solitary, and much 

 dreaded by the Alfourou inhabitants of their native region ; each appropriating a particular, district, into which 

 it resents intrusion. There is reason to suspect that they are not exclusively vegetable feeders, but subsist 

 in part on the eggs and callow young of birds. They are sedentary and inactive annuals, pus,, great 



strength. 



So excessive is the degradation of the adult from the characters which it exhibits in youth, that our author, 

 in his first edition, arranged the Pongo next to the Baboons, allowing them the precedence. According 

 to M. Geoffrey, " the brain of the young Ourang bears a very close resemblance to that of a child; and the 

 skull, also, might be taken, at an early age, for that of the latter, were it not for the developement of the bone, 

 of the face. Hut it happens, in consequence of its advance in age, that the brain ceases to enlarge, while its 

 continually increases. The latter becomes thickened, but in an unequal degree; enormous bony ridges appear, 

 and the animal assumes a frightful aspect. When we compare the effects of age in Man and the i rurang, the differ) 



in to be, that in the latter there is a super-developement of the osseous, muscular, and t gumentary bj stems, 

 more towards the upper part than the lower, while the developement of the brain is entirely arrested." It is 



in the male se\, howew-r, lb it the cranial ridges appear, the canines, also, of the females being much Smaller. 



M. Geoffroy thus describ -.nil of the Pongo, before its identit) as an Ourang had been ascertained: — 



"What is most remarkable," In- oi»s(. r -\ c .s, "is the excessive elongation of the muscle; and as tins con- 

 siderable volume of tin- muzzle cannot be gained but at the expence of the other adjoining parts, we accord- 

 ingly find that there is scarcely an] apparent forehead, that the bony box which contains tin- brain is 



uncommonly small, and that the occipital foramen is Situated as far as tin- posterior pait of the head. The 



immense muzzle, moreover, is remarkable, not only for the enormous thickness of the gums, but also tor the 

 extraordinary size of the canine and incisor teeth with which they are provided; tin- Indson l in 



magnitude those of a Lion, and the canines do not differ much in dimensions from those of the same 

 annual: tie- occiput also is elevated at lis point, and forms a i| . il protuberance, very large and 



thick, where three bony crests an- produced, not less apparent nor less solid than those of the Lion, rwoof 



• Onrnnif u a Mi\U\- word, tlipilfTtng rational Irlfffi which U 

 tpplled t«> Mm, t ,.t. OufcfVf 



lljpilnei iri/<i, or *<] Mr viu.rtt .- Iicnir ■ 



. itlceablc, to ■ cartala extent, la the Hotteotol r»ce of rain- 



Oarmjii (/'. HTonooJI), in thr mciMgerir at tlir . 



which imw- com nib* In » • 



iliiiim, ninl el nl rfuoiUi e the] »>ll 



vttnin tit itie 



Uld ill kl) . 



