PON GO 203 



4 feet 2 inches in height, measured fairly to the heel, so as to give the 

 height of the animal if it stood perfectly erect ; the extent of the 

 outstretched arms from 7 feet 2 inches to 7 feet 8 inches; and the 

 width of the face from 10 inches to 13J/2 inches. * * * On the 

 whole, therefore, I think it will be allowed that up to this time we have 

 not the least reliable evidence of the existence of Orangs in Borneo 

 more than four feet two inches high." 



Pongo abelii was described by Dr. Clarke (1. c.) as an Ourang- 

 utan of remarkable height from the Island of Sumatra. It was stated 

 to be from 7 to 8 feet high, which, if the measurements were correct, 

 makes it the tallest Ourang of which we have any record. But 

 measurements, unless made by an expert, are apt to go astray, and 

 during the nearly one hundred years since this animal was captured, a 

 very considerable number of these Apes have been procured in Su- 

 matra, and none have fairly approximated the dimensions of Clarke's 

 Ourang ; and we are led to suspect either the measurements given were 

 incorrect, from the skin having become stretched, or the tape had 

 been wrongly applied, and that the animal was merely an extra large 

 individual of the ordinary Ourang, for there is nothing in the descrip- 

 tion, save size, to indicate that it was a different species. And if there 

 was a race of gigantic Ourangs in north west Sumatra, it would be 

 strange that during the last century another example had not been 

 obtained. Until we have more knowledge of a huge Sumatran Ourang, 

 it will be wiser to regard P. abelii as the same as the others procured 

 in the island. 



"Head and body 7 feet 63^ inches ; mandible 4 inches ; ascending 

 ramus above teeth, 2^ inches, depth at symphysis 2J^ inches." 



Measurements. Skull : Adult Male. Total length, 227 ; occipito- 

 nasal length, 165 ; intertemporal width, 68 ; breadth of braincase, 95 ; 

 Hensel, 163; zygomatic width, 184; extreme breadth of bony orbits, 

 114; width of rostrum at canines, 72; palatal length, 86; length of 

 upper molar series, 58; length of mandible, 165; length of lower 

 molar series, 63.1. Ex type P. s. deliensis Selenka, Munich Museum, 

 No. 10. 



The above is an upright skull with a much less lateral depth, 203 

 to 239. The braincase is fairly large, rounded on top with a low bony 

 crest rising from the posterior part of the frontal, and going to the 

 occiput where it joins the lateral expansion of the occipital region. 

 The facial region is horizontal and the rostrum broad and short, stand- 

 ing at a right angle to the face. Orbits large and close together and 

 the cheek bones are broad. Another skull of an adult male also 



