THE NATURAL HISTORY OP 



It was discovered by Sir Stamford Raffles in Sumatra, 

 and is particularly abundant in the vicinity of Bencoolen. 

 It is about three feet in height, and is entirely of a jet 

 black colour, with a few scattered grayish hairs on the 

 cheeks and chin. The hair upon the body is shining, 

 long, soft, and thick. The face is black, the muzzle 

 short, and the facial angle from 60 to 65. The nose 

 is flat and depressed above, but rises below abruptly, 

 with a cartilaginous eminence, in which the large, 

 nearly circular nostrils, are pierced from the sides in 

 an oblique direction ; at its extremity this eminence 

 is obtuse, and united to the upper lip by a narrow 

 gradually attenuated apex, which, forming a cartila- 

 ginous arch, gives a peculiar character to the Siamang. 

 The orbital margin is very prominent ; and the frontal 

 bone rises above the eyes obliquely, with a very gra- 

 dual inclination backward. This part is covered with 

 hairs, which have a different character from those on 

 other parts of the body ; they are regular and straight, 

 and, being closely applied to the surface of the head, 

 form a gradually rising plain, on which the hair ap- 

 pears as if dressed or rendered smooth by art. The 

 ears are closely applied to the head, are margined, 

 and have externally the same structure as in man. 

 They are in a great measure concealed by the hairy 

 covering of the lateral parts of the head, which, with 

 that of the extremities, affords a very peculiar cha- 

 racter, and its thickness considerably increases the 

 bulk of these parts. It consists of hairs close and 



