The Okang-Utan. 51. 



and the Cynogale Bcnnetti — a rare, otter-like animal, with 

 very broad muzzle, clothed with long bristles. 



One of my chief objects in coming to stay at Simiinjon 

 was to see the orang-utan (or great man-like ape of Borneo) 

 in his native haunts, to study his habits, and obtain good 

 specimens of the different varieties and species of both sexes, 

 and of the adult and young animals. In all these objects I 

 succeeded beyond my expectations, and will now give some 

 account of my experience in hunting the orang-utan, or 

 " mias," as it is called by the natives ; and as this name is 

 short, and easily pronounced, I shall generally use it in pref- 

 erence to Simla satyrus, or orang-utan. 



Just a week after my aiTival at the mines I first saw a 

 mias. I was out collecting insects, not more than a quarter 

 of a mile from the house, when I heard a rustling in a tree 

 near, and, looking-up, saw a large red-haired animal moving 

 slowly along, hanging from the branches by its arms. It 

 passed on from tree to tree till it was lost in the jungle, 

 which was so swampy that I could not follow it. This mode 

 of progression was, however, very unusual, and is more char- 

 acteristic of the Hylobates than of the orang. I suppose 

 there was some individual peculiarity in this animal, or the 

 nature of the trees just in this place rendered it the most easy 

 mode of progression. 



About a fortnight afterward I heard that one was feeding 

 in a tree in the swamp just below the house, and, taking my 

 gun, was fortunate enough to find it in the same place. As 

 soon as I approached, it tried to conceal itself among the 

 foliage ; but I got a shot at it, and the second barrel caused 

 it to fall down almost dead, the two balls having entered the 

 body. This was a male, about half-grown, being scarcely 

 three feet high. On April 26th I was out shooting with two 

 Dyaks, when we found another about the same size. It fell 

 at the first shot, but did not seem much hurt, and immediate- 

 ly climbed up the nearest tree, when I fired, and it again fell, 

 with- a broken arm and a wound in the body. The two 

 Dyaks now ran up to it, and each seized hold of a hand, tell- 

 ing me to cut a pole, and they would secure it. But although 

 one arm was broken, and it was only a half-grown animal, it 

 was too strong for these young savages, drawing them up 



