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thereby prevented from mingling with their kind in other portions 

 of Borneo. Let us consider this idea a moment and see if it is 

 sufficiently correct and forcible to merit acceptance. As far as 

 Europeans have ascended the rivers of Borneo, it is, I believe, a fact, 

 that Ourangs have been seen in the forests along the banks, but there 

 is no proof that they may not be dispersed throughout the forests 

 far into the interior, the conditions being the same. It is probably 

 quite correct to say that Ourangs cannot swim wide and deep rivers 

 near their mouths, but higher up, where the width is less, and the 

 water shallow, and where the trees possibly overarch the stream, 

 Ourangs can cross and join their fellows on the opposite side. It is 

 not unreasonable to suppose that they often do this, and in the dry 

 season it is probable that the rivers are very low, and some possibly 

 almost dry. Then the objection that they cannot climb mountains, 

 and that these would prove an insurmountable barrier in their path. 

 This is a curious statement coming from one who has described a 

 species or race as new, living upon a mountain and in its vicinity, dadap- 

 pensisl But we know, on the testimony of Wallace, given farther on, 

 that Ourangs can, and do, climb mountains. It is probably a fact 

 that if a steep mountain is bare of trees the Ourang could not ascend 

 it, and very likely would not try, but if it were covered with forests 

 the animal would find no difficulty in reaching the top, and Borneo is a 

 forest covered island with possibly only a few of the highest peaks 

 bare of trees. Wallace, moreover, states the fact, that in the Sadong 

 Valley District, there are many isolated mountains which the Dyaks 

 have covered with fruit trees, and the Ourangs ascend these to feed 

 on the unripe fruits, retiring to the low swamps at night. It will thus 

 be seen that both Herr Selenka's method and theories for establishing 

 his species are subject to grave objections, and are not sufficiently 

 satisfactory in the one case, nor probable in the other, to merit 

 general acceptance. 



Now for consideration of the species described by him. And 

 first there are no types ; that is to say, Herr Selenka did not select 

 any particular specimen as the representative of a species. With 

 the Ourangs, however, this is not of supreme importance so far as 

 the skulls are concerned, because, if Selenka had selected any particular 

 one for his type, it would be found not to agree in its characters with 

 any other, so infinite are the individual variations of the crania in a 

 large series of examples. All the skulls therefore from a certain 

 district must be taken for consideration, as representing a type with 

 all its variations, and exhibiting the general characteristics of the 



