1 96 Description of an Ourang Outang. 



animals, and a fortiori by our ourang outang. Tn short, its 

 intelligence was much more frequently called into action to 

 satisfy its wants than to avert dan^rer. I ought to place in 

 this first division a custom of this- animal, which appeared 

 to be a phaenomenon of mslinct, the onlv one of tlie kind 

 which it exhibited. While the season did not admit of its 

 leaving; the house, it practise'd a custom which appeared 

 sino-ular, and which was at first difficult to account for: this 

 consisted in mounting upon an old desk to perform the 

 functions of nature; but, as soon as the warmth of spring 

 admitted of its going into the garden, this extra'.rdinary 

 custom was accounted for: it never failtd to ascend a tree 

 \vh<;n it wanted to perform these functions, and this me- 

 thod has even been resorted to, with success, as a lemedy 

 for its habitual constipation : when it did not ascend the 

 tree of itself, it was placed upon it ; and if its efiorts pro- 

 duced no evacuation, it was a proof that bathing was ne- 

 cessary. 



We have already seen that one of the principal wants of 

 our ourans outang was to live in society, and to attach itself 

 to persons \> ho treated it with kindncjjs. For M. Decaen 

 it had a jianicular aflection, of which it gave daily proofs. 

 One morniu:f it entered his apartment while he was still in 

 bed, and threw itself upon him embracing him strongly, 

 and applying its lips to his breast, which it sucked as it 

 Vised to do his fingers. On another occasion it gave him a 

 still stronger proof of its attachment. It was accustomed to 

 come to him at meal times, which it knew very well, in 

 •expectafi( n of victuals. With this view it leapt up behind 

 his chair, and perched upon the back ot it; when he gave it 

 what he thought proper. On his arrival in Spain, JVJ. De- 

 caen went ashore, and another officer of the sh p supplied 

 his place at table : the ourang outang placed itself on the 

 back of the chair as usual ; but as soon as it perceived a 

 strauffer in its master's place it refused all food, threw itself 

 on the floor, and rolled about in great distress, frequently 

 strikiuii its head and moaning bitterly. I have frequently 

 seen it testify its imnatieace in this way: wlieii any thing 

 was rel'used it which it wanted, not being able or not daring 

 to attack those .-ho oppo^ed its wishes, it would throw it- 

 self on the floor, strike its head, and thereby endeavour to 

 excite interest or pity in a more lively manner. Tliis me- 

 thod of expressing' sorrow or anger is noi observable in any 

 animal, man excepted. Was this ourang outang led to act 

 in ih's mangier from ihe same motives which actuate us in 

 similar circuinstauces ?. I am inclined to answer this ques^ 



tion 



