74 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



Finally, the Bornean animal described by Mr. Grant, in the article 

 just quoted, possesses nails on the hinder thumbs ; while Mr. Mont- 

 gomerie, who had obtained this specimen from Borneo, states that it 

 is the only one he has observed to be possessed of the nail on the 

 great toe ; but * that this is the only particular in which he dif- 

 fers in the slightest degree' from the other Bornean Orang Outangs 

 which he has seen, amounting in number, as appears in the sequel, 

 to at least ten or twelve. 



«« Whether two or more species of Simia have been confounded 

 together under the appellations of Orang Outang and Pongo, or 

 whether the discrepancies in the accounts of naturalists have arisen 

 from the examination of individuals of different ages, it would be 

 premature to attempt to decide. But the legitimate inference from 

 the facts above stated appears to be, that at all events the want of 

 the hinder thumb-nails is a deficiency of frequent occurrence in 

 the animal or animals in question, unconnected with any important 

 variations in external character or in organization, and unconnected, 

 therefore, with specific distinctions." 



I shall not again enter upon the consideration of the subject, further 

 than to observe, that the cursory review which I have thus been led to 

 take of it, at the present time, induces me to modify the opinion which 

 I formerly entertained, as expressedin theconcludingparagraphofthe 

 above note. Since it appears by uniting the statements of Camper, 

 (Phil. Trans, vol. Ixix. p. 145, 146,) Mr. Owen, and Dr. Jeffries, (Phil. 

 Mag., vol. Ixvii. p. 182,) with those which I had originally examined, 

 that out of 26 or 28 individuals of the animal in question, 18 or 20 were 

 deficient in the nail of the hallux, there seems reason to regard it as 

 a distinction of some importance, though still not amounting to a 

 specific character. With reference also to Mr. Owen's idea that 

 certain characters are indicative of varieties of the Orang inhabiting 

 distinct localities, I may remark that it would seem from the various 

 statements which have been cited, that all the individuals so cha- 

 racterized have been obtained from Borneo, although that island 

 has also furnished a few others exhibiting the normal structure; 

 among 23 or 25 individuals from that locality 18 or 20 not possess- 

 ing the nail of the hallux. If anything further can be deduced 

 from the facts now before us, it is the probability that there exist 

 in Borneo two varieties of the Orang Outang, one of them having 

 the normal, and the other the said abnormal structure of the hallux. 

 Should this prove to be the fact, it will remain to be determined 

 whether the former Bornean variety is not identical with the 

 Sumatran ; and whether the varieties thus characterized are also 

 distinguished by any peculiarities of the cranium, such as those 

 which have been detected by Mr. Owen on comparing two different 

 skulls of the Pongo, or adult Orang Outang of Borneo. 



London Institution, June 23, 1835. E. W. B. 



ON OIL OF CINNAMON, &C. 



MM. Dumas and Peligot observe that there occur in commerce 

 several varieties of cinnamon and two of the oil, which are easily 



