DOCILITY OF ANIMALS. 



his master, and often of his own accord. He did no injury to 

 any person. He even approached company with circumspec- 

 tion, and presented himself as if he wanted to be caressed. 

 He was very fond of dainties, which every body gave him ; 

 and, as his breast was diseased, and he was afflicted with a 

 teasing cough, this quantity of sweetmeats undoubtedly con- 

 tributed to shorten his life. He lived one summer in Paris, 

 and died in London the following winter. He ate almost 

 every thing ; but preferred ripe and dried fruits to all other 

 kinds of foocL He drank a little wine ; but spontaneously 

 left it for milk; tea, or other mild liquors." 



M. de la Brosse remarks of two ourang-outangs, whose ages 

 exceeded not twelve months, that " These animals have the 

 instinct of sitting at table like men. They eat every kind of 

 food without distinction. They use a knife, a fork, or a spoon, 

 to cut or lay hold of what is put upon their plate. They drink 

 wine and other liquors. We carried them abroad. At table, 

 when they wanted any thing, they made themselves under- 

 stood by the cabin-boy ; and when the boy refused to give 

 them what they demanded, they sometimes became enraged, 

 seized him by the arm, bit and threw him down. The male 

 was seized with sickness on the road. He made himself be 

 attended as a human being. He was even twice bled in the 

 right arm ; and, whenever he found hknself afterwards in the 

 same condition, he held out his arm to be bled, as if he knew 

 that he had formerly received benefit from that operation." 



We are informed by Francis Pyrard, " that, in the province 

 of Sierra Leon a, there is a species of animals called baris 

 (ourang-outang), which are strong and well-limbed, and so 

 industrious, that, when properly trained and fed, they work 

 like servants; that they generally walk on the two hind feet; 

 that they pound any substances in a mortar ; that they go to 

 bring water from the river in small pitchers, which they carry 

 full on their heads. But when they arrive at the door, if the 

 pitchers are not soon taken off, they allow them to fall ; and, 

 when they perceive the pitcher overturned and broken, they 

 weep and lament." With regard to the education of these 

 animals, the testimony of Schoutton corresponds with that of 

 Pyrard. " They are taken," says he, " with snares, taught to 

 walk on their hind feet, and to use their fore feet as hands in 

 performing different operations, as rinsing glasses, carrying 

 drink round to the company, turning a spit, &.c." Guat informs 

 us, that he " saw at Java a very extraordinary ape. It was a 

 female. She was very tall, and often walked erect on her 



