ORANGS. 53 



Mr. Wallace describes the nest, or sleeping-place, of the orang as being 

 generally constructed in a comparatively small tree, at a height of from some 

 20 to 50 feet from the ground; a situation at this elevation being protected 

 from wind by the taller surrounding trees. The Dyaks believe that the orang 

 constructs a fresh nest every night ; but, as Mr. Wallace remarks, if this were the 

 case, the deserted nests would be much more common than they really are. These 

 animals remain in their nests till the sun has risen sufficiently high to have dried 

 the dew from the forest leaves. Their feeding-time is during the middle of the 

 day ; but it appears that they seldom return for more than two consecutive days to 

 the same tree for this purpose. Mr. Wallace observes that the orang must have a 

 task of considerable difficulty in getting at the interior of the durian, since this 

 fruit is protected by a thick and tough skin, covered with strong conical prickles. 

 Probably, however, the animal first bites off a few of these prickles or spines, and 

 then makes a small hole into which it inserts its fingers, and thus manages to pull 

 the fruit in pieces. 



Many accounts have been given of the habits of orancfs in 

 In Captivity. & 



captivity. Of these the earliest is the one by Vosmaer relating to the 



young female, which, as we have already mentioned, was living in the menagerie of 

 the Prince of Orange in 1776. A later account of an orang brought to Java was 

 given about the year 1830 by Dr. Clark Abel. On board ship this animal was 

 allowed to roam freely about, and soon became on good terms with the sailors, 

 whom it surpassed in the agility with which it ascended the rigging. It was, 

 indeed, often pursued by the sailors from one part of the rigging to the other, 

 when, finding itself unable to escape from them by direct speed, it would swing itself 

 out of their reach by grasping a loose end of rope, and thus bring the chase to an 

 end. On other occasions this animal would wait among the rigging, or at the 

 mast-head, till the sailors were almost within touching distance, when it would 

 suddenly lower itself to the deck by the nearest rope, or pass from one mast to 

 another by means of the mainstay. Any attempts to dislodge the animal when 

 aloft, by violently shaking or swaying the ropes by which it was suspended, were 

 found to be quite ineffectual, although it often appeared to the spectator that the 

 muscles of the orang would be unable to withstand the strain to which they were 

 exposed. In its playful moods this orang is described as 'swinging itself suddenly 

 within arm's length of one of its pursuers, and after having struck him a harmless 

 blow with its outstretched hand, as suddenly swinging off in the opposite direction. 

 Dr. Abel states that while in Java this orang was lodged in a large tamarind 

 tree growing near the house of his master. Here he was accustomed to form a 

 kind of nest or bed for himself by plaiting the smaller boughs together, and 

 strewing the platform thus made with leaves. In the daytime the animal was in 

 the habit of lying in this couch with his head projecting over the edge, and thus 

 watched with interest all the passers-by. When any of these happened to be 

 carrying fruit, the ape would descend from his lair and endeavour to obtain a 

 portion. At sunset, or even sooner, it would retire to its nest for the night ; while 

 at the first rays of dawn it would be again afoot, and endeavouring to obtain its 

 usual food. When on board ship the mast-head formed its usual sleeping-place, 



