ORANG-OUTAN. 



monkey race. The fatal issue of the disease was probably promoted by the 

 shedding of his teeth. 



In height, the full groA^ii male Oraug-outan is about four feet six inches. 



There seem to be at least two species of this animal, that are found in Borneo, 

 and some zoologists consider the Sumatran ape to be a third species. 



The natives distinguish the tAvo Bornean si)ecies by the name of Mias-kassar, 

 and Mias-pappan, the latter of which animals is the Simia saiyrus, so well 

 represented in the engraving. 



The Pappan is a ti-uly terrible animal when roused to anger, and would be 

 even more fonnidable than is the case, were it endowed with a less slothful 

 disposition. Its length of arm is very great ; for when the animal stands erect, 

 and pennits the arms to hang by its sides, its hands can nearly touch the ground. 

 The muscular power of these arms is propoitionate to their length, and it is 

 chiefly by means of the upper limbs that the ape makes progress among the 

 boughs of the trees on which it loves to live. 



So powerful, indeed, are the anns, that a female Orang has been kno^^Ti to 

 snap a strong spear like a reed, and this after she had been weakened by many 

 wounds and loss of blood. In attack the Orang-outan is not sparing of teeth as 

 well as hands, and uses to the utmost the weapons with which it has been 

 endowed. The teeth of an adult Orang are truly formidable weapons, and it is 

 said that even the leopard careis not to prove their power. So strong are even the 

 front teeth, that they are capable of gnawing through and tearing away the dense 

 fibrous covering in which the cocoa-nut is enveloped, and possibly can cut through 

 the hard shell itself. Besides these teeth, the Orang is furnished with enonnous 

 canines, or tusks, tlie object of which is probably to act as offensive weapons ; 

 for the Orang is a vegetable-feeding animal, and the canine teeth can hardly be 

 given merely for the puipose of cutting vegetable food. 



Although the hind limbs are not so largely developed as the arms, yet they 

 possess great power, and are perfectly adapted to the pui-pose which they sen'e. 

 For terrestrial locomotion they are anything but fitted, as the animal is unable to 

 plant the sole, or rather the pahn, flat upon the ground, and rests upon the 

 outside edges of the feet. 



The walk of the Orang-outan is little better than an awkward hobble, and the 

 creature shuffles along uneasily by help of its arms. The hands are placed on 

 the ground, and are used as crutches in aid of the feet, which are often raised 

 entirely from the ground, and the body swung through the arms. Sometimes it 

 bends consideral)ly backwards, and throwing its long anns over its head, preserves 

 its equilibrium by their means. 



This attitude is caused by the peculiar stnicture of the hind limbs, which. 



