THE ORANG-OUTANG'S COUCH 



spot. Nowadays naturalists doubt the accuracy of Du 

 Chaillu's description of this wonderful structure. It is cer- 

 tain, however, that this bald chimpanzee possesses intelli- 

 gence beyond that of other animals, for the famous Sally, who 

 lived for eight years at the Zoological Gardens in London, 

 was taught before her death to count up to ten straws, and 

 her education was still progressing when she succumbed to 

 our climate. 



For a long time people differed in their opinions as to 

 whether the Orang-outang (Simia satyrus), that great man- 

 like ape of Sumatra and Borneo, made a "nest" or not, but 

 that it does so is now quite certain on the evidence of such 

 famous naturalists as Mr. Wallace and Professor Selenka. 

 The orangs make their homes in the great primeval forests, 

 dense and unbroken, through which they are able to travel 

 from tree to tree as easily as a man can traverse open 

 country. 



The nest or sleeping-place, Mr. Wallace informs us, is 

 usually constructed in one of the smaller trees at no very 

 great distance from the ground, being seldom situated 

 higher than fifty feet or so. It is therefore well protected 

 from wind by the taller trees around. Professor Selenka 

 sent one of these nests to the Berlin Academy. It consists 

 of a sort of platform about a yard and a half in length and 

 from twelve to thirty inches wide, composed of sticks half 

 an inch or an inch thick. These sticks all run more or less in 

 the same direction and are simply placed side by side or 

 one upon another, without any attempt at interweaving, 

 forming a bed eight or nine inches deep ; and most of them 

 are broken in the middle and doubled up, so that the two 

 ends of a stick come together. To make his bed softer and 

 more comfortable, the orang allows the leaves to remain on 

 the branches just as they are when he tears them from the 



