71 



The President introduced to the Society, Capt. W. 

 M. Gibson, who, daring a recent visit to the East Indies, 

 especially Sumatra and Borneo, and the neighboring 

 islands, had an opportunity of observing the races of 

 men and of anthropoid animals. 



Capt. Gibson gave an account of the Orangs, and 

 a description of one which he saw, which had been 

 captured in a trap, and which he said was employed in 

 labor by its owner. The animal was six feet in height 

 and covered with hair, which was very short upon the 

 head. These orangs live in the trees, upon platforms of 

 bamboo sticks, and have for weapons rudely pointed 

 poles, with which they spear fish. 



According to Capt. Gibson, the term orang signifies 

 the same as the Latin homo, and is applied by the natives 

 to the human race as well as to monkeys; a specific 

 name being appended to the word orang to signify man, 

 a second for woman, and a third for each species of 

 monkey. 



Capt. Gibson also adverted to the possessions of the 

 Dutch in Java, Sumatra, and Celebes, and called atten- 

 tion to Gililo, Mindanao, and other islands east of Java. 

 In reply to the questions of several gentlemen, he indi- 

 cated the very limited range of the commerce of the 

 United States in this region, and represented that it 

 could be vastly and advantageously increased. 



Capt. N. E. Atwood, of Provincetown, presented a 

 fish, taken off the eastern coast of Newfoundland, in 

 from forty to fifty fathoms of water. He supposed it to 

 be an undescribed species, possibly belonging to the 

 family with Scopelus, which fish it resembles in the 

 silvery spots upon the abdomeh. It was abundant in 

 the fishing-grounds, as the codfish were filled with them. 



The President exhibited a foetal porpoise presented by 

 Capt. Atwood, and called attention to the embryonic 



