196 Dr Abel's Account of an Orang Outang 



goes far to determine this point ; and the difference of state- 

 ment is capable, perhaps, of being accounted for, by suppos- 

 ing different points to have been taken as the limit of his di- 

 mensions by the different parties, or a greater or less bending 

 posture of the animal. The skin, dried and shrivelled as it 

 is, measures, in a straight line from the top of the shoulder 

 to the point whence the ancle has been removed, 5 feet 10 

 inches ; add to this the perpendicular length of the neck, as it 

 is in the preparation of the head, 3h inches ; length of the 

 face, from the forehead to the chin, 9 inches ; and of the skin 

 now attached to the foot, from the line of its separation from 

 the body to the heel, 8 inches, — measurements which I have 

 made myself, and we have 7 feet 6| inches as his approximate 

 height. 



I now proceed to describe the animal. — In order to assist 

 the Society in forming as correct an opinion as circumstances 

 will allow of the form and appearance of the different parts 

 which have been preserved, I have caused the drawings in 

 Plate IV. to be made of them, which I now offer to their exami- 

 nation. They have been hastily executed, and imperfectly 

 finished, but are, I believe, correct with regard to the propor- 

 tions. I particularly cautioned the artist to draw nothing but 

 what he saw ; and, therefore, the hair of the head looks more 

 lank and matted than it would naturallv be. 



Description of the Remains of the Animal. 



The face of this animal, with the exception of the beard, is 

 nearly bare, a few straggling short downy hairs being alone 

 scattered over it. It is of dark lead colour, excepting the 

 margins of the lips, which are lighter. The eyes are small 

 in relation to those of man, and are about an inch apart. The 

 eye-lids are well fringed with lashes. The ears are 1 1 inch 

 in length, and barely an inch in breadth, are close to the 

 head, and resemble those of man, with the exception of want- 

 ing the lower lobe. The nose is scarcely raised above the le- 

 vel of the face, and is chiefly distinguished by two nostrils, 

 | of an inch in breadth, placed obliquely side by side. The 

 muzzle projects in a mammillary form. The opening of the 

 mouth is very large. When closed, the lips appear narrow, 



