THE ORANG-UTAN. 13 



forest; and even when obstructions below (such as wading 

 up to the neck) allowed them to get away some distance, 

 they were sure to stop and allow us to come up. I never 

 observed the slightest attempt at defence; and the wood, 

 which sometimes rattled about our ears, was broken by 

 their weight, and not thrown, as some persons represent. 

 If pushed to extremity, however, the pappan could' not be 

 otherwise than formidable; and one unfortunate man, who 

 with a party was trying to catch one alive, lost two of his 

 fingers, besides being severely bitten on the face, whilst the 

 animal finally beat off his pursuers and escaped. When 

 hunters wish to catch an adult, they cut down a circle of 

 trees round the one on which he is seated, and then fell 

 that also, and close before he can recover himself, and 

 endeavour to bind him. The rude hut which they are 

 stated to build in the trees would be more properly called 

 a seat, or nest, for it has no roof or cover of any sort. The 

 facility with which they form this seat is curious ; and I had 

 an opportunity of seeing a wounded female weave the 

 branches together, and seat herself in a minute. She after- 

 wards received our fire without moving, and expired in her 

 lofty abode, whence it cost us much trouble to dislodge her. 

 The adult male I killed was seated lazily on a tree; and 

 when approached only took the trouble to interpose the 

 trunk between us, peeping at me and dodging as I dodged. 

 I hit him on the wrist, and he was afterwards despatched." 

 The Walk ^ n locomotion the orang disdains the earth 

 of the and perambulates the vernal terraces of the 

 Orang-utan. f orest t rees j t j s a singular sight," says Mr. 

 Wallace, "to watch a mias (orang-utan) making his way 

 leisurely through a forest. He walks deliberately along some 

 of the larger branches in the semi-erect attitude which the 

 great length of his arms and the shortness of his legs cause 

 him naturally to assume, and seems always to choose those 

 branches which intermingle with an adjoining tree, on 



