44 MAMMALIA. 



They may be divided, from the number of their molar teeth, into two 

 principal subgenera, which are again subdivided into numerous groups. 

 The 



MONKEYS, properly so called, 



Or those of the eastern continent, have the same number of grinders as Man, 

 but otherwise differing from each other by characters, which have formed the 

 grounds of the following subdivisions. 



SlMIA, Erxl. PlTHKCUS, Geoff. 



The Ourangs* are the only monkeys of the ancient continent which have 

 no callus on the seat. Their nose is not prominent, they have no cheek-pouches, 

 nor a vestige of a tail. Some of them have arms long enough to reach the 

 ground when standing their legs, on the contrary, are very short. 



S. satyrus, L. (The Ourang-Outang.) Of all animals, this Ourang is 

 considered as approaching most nearly to Man in the form of his head, height 

 of forehead, and volume of brain ; but the exaggerated descriptions of some 

 authors respecting this resemblance, are partly to be attributed to the fact of 

 their being drawn from young individuals only ; and there is every reason to 

 believe, that with age, their muzzle becomes much more prominent. The body 

 is covered with coarse red hair, the face bluish, and the hinder thumbs very 

 short compared with the toes. The lips are susceptible of a singular elonga- 

 tion, and possess great mobility. His history has been much disfigured by 

 mingling it with that of the other great monkeys, that of the Chimpanse in 

 particular. After a strict and critical examination, I have ascertained that the 

 Ourang-Outang inhabits the most eastern countries only, such as Malabar, 

 Cochin-China, and particularly the great island of Borneo, whence he has been 

 occasionally brought to Europe by the way of Java. When young, and such 

 as he appears to us in his captivity, he is a mild and gentle animal, easily ren- 

 dered tame and affectionate ; he is enabled by his conformation to imitate many 

 of our actions, but his intelligence does not appear to be so great as is reported, 

 not much surpassing that of the Dog. 



There is a monkey in Borneo, hitherto known only by his skeleton, called 

 the Pongo, which so closely resembles the Ourang-Outang in the proportions 

 of all his parts, that we are tempted to consider him an adult if not of the 

 species of the Ourang-Outang, at least of one very nearly allied to it. He is 

 the largest monkey known, and in size is nearly equal to Man. 



The arms of the remaining Ourangs reach only to the knee. They have no 

 forehead, and the cranium retreats from the crest of the eye-brow. The name 

 of CHIMPANSES might exclusively be applied to them. 



S. Troglodytes, L. (The Chimpanse) is covered with black or brown hair. 



* Orang is a Malay word signifying reasonable being, which is applied to man, the 

 ourang-outang, and the elephant. Outang means wild, or of the woods; hence, Wild Man 

 of the Woods. 



