78 THE OURANG-OUTANG. 



only bears abundantly till the age of thirty, when the crops 

 gradually diminish. 



ESTHER. 



How many nuts will a tree yield ? 



MRS. C. 



On an average, about a hundred.* Animals have often 

 been trained to fetch down the Cocoa-nut and other fruits for 

 their masters. The ourang-outang has been tamed by the 

 savages of Borneo, and made to climb lofty trees to bring 

 down the fruit. But he is said to yield his masters an un- 

 willing obedience, and to be held in subjection only by severe 

 discipline. One of the baboons of Sumatra (Simia carpolegus} 

 appears to be more docile, and is frequently trained by the 

 inhabitants to ascend tieesfor the purpose of gathering cocoa- 

 nuts, a service in which this animal is very expert. He se- 

 lects, says Sir Stamford Raffles, the ripe nuts with great 

 udgment, and pulls no more than he is ordered. The capu- 

 chin and cacajao monkeys are, according to De Humboldt, 

 taught to ascend ti;ees in the same manner, and to throw 

 down fruit, on the banks of the Lower Orinoco, f 



The Ourang Outang. 



* Humboldl's Personal Narrative, vol. iii. 



t Hooker in Botanical Magazine, vol. liv., from which this ac- 

 count is taken. 



