SPECIES OF MAMMALS OF THE PACIFIC AREA 63 



lies halfway between Australia and New Zealand. In these the 

 head and body varies from two to three and one-half inches, 

 the tail from one to one and three-fourths inches, the forearm 

 from one and one-fourth to two and one-fourth inches. 



Apes, Monkeys, Lemurs. Order Primates 



The primates, to which order man belongs, include the apes, 

 monkeys, and lemurs. Their freely rotating forearm and op- 

 posable thumb and first toe adapt them for life in trees. The 

 fingers and toes usually have flattened nails. All East Indian 

 primates are ape-like or monkey-like, except two lemurs, the 

 slow loris, and the tarsier. Their illustrations will aid in 

 identification. 



The Orang-utan. Family Pongid^ 

 The Orang-utan (Pongo pygmceus) is unmistakable because 

 of its large size and long brick-red hair. It is found only on 

 Borneo and Sumatra. Orangs are heavily built animals with 

 long arms, thick neck, and a melancholy expression on their 

 faces. Their movements are slow and deliberate, and they spend 

 most of their time among the branches of the trees. As they 

 grow older, the males, which are larger than, the females, de- 

 velop large skin-covered callouses on the sides of their faces, 

 which give the face a rounded, dish-like appearance. These 

 callouses are wanting in females. The ears are small, the lips 

 broad, and the chin receding. A male orang-utan may reach 

 four and one-half feet in height and weigh one hundred and 

 fifty pounds. The Sumatran orang-utan is generally more 

 purplish red and not so rusty red as the Bornean. Sumatran 

 males sometimes develop a large mustache. They may represent 

 distinct forms. 



Orang-utans construct nests of branches and leaves in which 

 they spend the night. Their food consists of fruit, leaves, and 

 shoots. They are frequently found in the forest-covered swamp- 



