Female Orang at the Zoological Society's Gardens. 47 



til further investigation shall have thrown more light on the 

 subject. 



The frequent occurrence of Polygonum dumetorum since 

 its first discovery, may be instanced as the effect of the atten- 

 tion of botanists being directed to any particular plant ; and 

 induces me to hope that this notice may lead to the detection of 

 the plant which is the subject of it, in other localities, and its 

 consequent restoration to its long-occupied place in the British 

 Flora. Whether this be the case or not, it is a curious coinci- 

 dence, that three plants, Bupleurum falcatum, Polygonum 

 dumetorum, and Cucubalus baccifer, which the older bota- 

 nists seem to have considered as belonging to our Flora, but 

 apparently on insufficient grounds, should yet, in our modern 

 days, be found growing within so short a distance of the 

 metropolis. Truly, it goes far to prove that these honest old 

 simplers knew what they were about, and that they were not 

 quite such noodles as some of their descendants are too apt 

 to take them for. 



London, Dec. 25, 1837. 



SCIENTIFIC NOTICES, INTELLIGENCE, &c. 



Zoological Society's Gfirdens. — In our last number we no- 

 ticed the interesting addition which the Zoological Society 

 had then then just made to their Menagerie, in the purchase 

 of a female Orang ; and, up to the present date, (Dec. 25th), 

 we are enabled to give the most favourable report of the crea- 

 ture's health. She has become excessively attached to her 

 keeper, and is daily improving in strength and spirits, and 

 promises to be, for a long time, one of the most attractive ob- 

 jects at the gardens. At the evening meeting of the Society, 

 Dec. 12th, Mr. Owen made some remarks upon one or two 

 particulars, in which this animal differs very materially from 

 the Chimpanzee, whose death was so much regretted about 

 two years since. He observed, that one very marked differ- 

 ence consisted in the inferiority of the Orang, as regards the 

 functions of the organs of voice; for, while the Chimpanzee 

 expressed its anger by loud cries, or a succession of short 

 quick sounds, resembling a bark, the Orang, when vexed or 

 thwarted of its favorite object, displayed its wrath by uttering 

 a feeble and almost inaudible continuous whine. The Orang 

 is also far less active in its habits, rarely moving, unless to 

 follow its keeper, or when strongly tempted, and then its mo- 

 tion is slower, and more awkward than in the Chimpanzee ; 



