ORDER PRIMATES: PRIMATES 165 



so prominent in the latter. The arms are very long, reaching to 

 the ankles when the animal is erect; foot long and narrow, the 

 great toe very short. Tail absent. Prominent cheek callosities some- 

 times present in adult males. Wallace, who measured 17 freshly 

 killed Orangs, states that adult males "only varied from 4 feet 1 

 inch to 4 feet 2 inches in height, measured fairly to the heel, so as 

 to give the height of the animal if it stood perfectly erect; the extent 

 of the outstretched arms from 7 feet 2 inches to 7 feet 8 inches." The 

 total length of a Bornean skull is said to be 246 mm. (Elliot) , for 

 the largest of many. Selenka gives series of measurements. For an 

 excellent account of the history, characters, psychology, see Yerkes 

 and Yerkes (1929). 



The Orang is a much more lethargic animal than the African 

 anthropoids, moving leisurely through the forest, seeking various 

 fruits, especially those of the durian, of which it is extremely 

 fond. Leaves and bark of certain trees are also eaten. It is some- 

 what social and may be found singly or in pairs or in small groups. 

 Banks (1931) writes: 



In a wild state and unmolested, Mias exhibit little more than a benevolent 

 curiosity towards men and the extremely child-like and almost pathetic 

 expressions that can be assumed in captivity point to the Mias as an extremely 

 peaceful and gentle animal when left to himself, always remembering of 

 course that both temper and strength are there in reserve for use when 

 aroused. . . . [They] make a kind of platform of sticks on which they sleep 

 at night and even during the day but I have never seen captive ones make 

 any sort of roof or make use of leaves to keep the rain off, as is sometimes 

 alleged. Nests are of two kinds, either a flat platform or more usually a 

 deep triangular shaped affair in the upright fork of a tree. ... I counted 

 eleven such nests still with green leaves all close together near a "Kayu 

 Ara" fruit tree where a pair were feeding. . . . 



The distribution of the Mias in Sarawak is peculiar in its relations to the 

 rest of Borneo; it occurs in parts of N. Borneo . . . and it is common in 

 W. Borneo, the Landak River and right up the Kapuas River. Now the 

 Mias is very sensibly fond of neither cold nor rain, in fact the damp is his 

 worst enemy and for this among other reasons the occurrence of Mias at 3000 

 ft. is very exceptional nor is he as common in the immediate lower vicinity 

 of mountains as he is at the foot. For some 70 miles the Kalinkang Moun- 

 tains run N.E. and S.W. forming a watershed between that part of the Kapuas 

 River running S.W. and numerous short Sarawak rivers running West into 

 the sea and it is obvious that these mountains form an obstacle to the 

 movements of Mias which are common on the Kapuas and curiously on 

 the Sarawak side. The explanation lies I think in a gap in the Kalinkang 

 Mountains which towards Lobok Antu slope away almost to sea level, 

 eventually to rise on the other side of the Batang Lupar Mts. and stretch 

 away unbroken northwards into central Borneo. It is therefore more or less 

 true that the Mias is confined to a range bounded on the N.E. by the Rejang 

 River, on the west by the Sadong River: the Orang Utan has flowed through 

 from Dutch Borneo and filled up suitable and available places. 



In upper Sarawak the Orang was formerly reported, but these 

 reports are doubtful, although Everett records two imperfect skulls 



