10 VERTEBRATA. MAMMALIA. 



ledge. A few have been brought to Europe, but 

 only in early youth ; and it is doubtful whether the 

 adult animals, except in one or two instances, have 

 ever been seen by Europeans. Two species have 

 been established, and perhaps there are indications of 

 one or two more, constituting the genus 



Simia,* the Orang. 



Of the two known species, the one which seems to 

 approach the nearest to the human form is the Chim- 

 panzee, (Simia Troglodytes,} inhabiting Central Africa, 

 from the Gambia to the Congo. It is covered with 

 black hair, and is said to attain a stature superior to 

 that of man. The other species is the Orang-otan, 

 (Simia Satyrus,} found in the vast islands, and in the 

 farther peninsula, of Eastern India. It is clothed 

 with coarse reddish-brown hair. These animals are 

 so similar, that the same description will, with few 

 exceptions, apply to both. Though these do occa- 

 sionally assume an erect position when on the ground, 

 their mode of progression is very different from walk- 

 ing ; their arms being so long as to reach considera- 

 bly below the knee, the hands are placed on the 

 ground with a slight inclination of the body, and the 

 animal swings himself forward between the arms, as 

 a lame man does upon his crutches. The great 

 length of arm also helps to maintain their equili- 

 brium when walking, or standing on the topmost 

 boughs of a tree, in which position, it is said, they 

 balance themselves by easy and graceful motions of 



* Its Latin name. 



