ORANGS. 51 



We have already alluded to the great length of the extremely powerful arms, 

 which vastly augment the animal's climbing powers. Tlie hand (shoAvn in Fi"-. 9 of 

 the illustration on p. 15) is even longer and more slender than that of the chim- 

 panzee, and is characterised by the extreme shortness of the thumb, which scarcely 

 reaches as far as the root of the fii-st joint of the index finger. The fino-ers them- 

 selves are connected by a web, which extends for a third, or nearly half, the length 

 of their fii-st joints. With regard to the relative lengths of the fingers, there is some 

 amount of individual variation : but the midille finger n\&y exceed either of the 

 others, while the ring finger is longer than the index, and the little finger relatively 

 long. All the fingers are narrow and tapering, with well-formed arching nails. 



The calves of tlio legs are less develojied than in either the chimpanzee or 

 gorilla, and the narrow flat heels are less projecting. The long and slender feet 

 (shown in Fig. 10 of the illustration on p. 15) are likewise of a lower tj-pe of 

 sti-ucture, as is pai-ticularly shown in the very small size of the great toe, which is 

 peculiar among the Primates in fretpiently having no trace of a nail in the adult. 

 Curiously enough old animals often lose the last joint of the great toe, apparently 

 not through disease, but as a normal condition. Both the hands and feet on the 

 backs, and the hands on their under surfaces, have wart-like callosities. 



The genei-al colour of the orang s skin is bluish-grey, although it may have 

 a more or less decided tinge of brown. In marked contrast to the general slaty 

 hue of the face, there often occur yellowish-brown rings round the ej^es, nostrils, 

 and upper lip. The full reddish-brown hair is long, shaggy, and bristly, with a 

 small admixture of woolly under-haix-s. The hair of the head may either have a 

 natural parting in tlie middle, as in our figure of the head and shoulders, or 

 may be tossed in wild confusion, in some individuals standing almost upright. 

 Usually there is a well-developed beard on the cheeks and neck. On the whole of 

 tlie under surface of the body the covering of hair is thin and scanty, and it is even 

 less developed on the face, eai-s, and the backs of the hands and feet. 



The tusks of the male are of enormous size. In the female they are, however, 

 much smaller ; and this sex is also characterised by the lesser development of the 

 folds and poiiches of skin around the neck. 

 Geographical As we have said, orangs appear to be confined to the great islands 



Distnbution. Qf Borneo and Sumatra; and there has been considerable discussion 

 as to whether there is more than one species. It was once thought that the large 

 orang of Sumatra was specifically distinct from that of Borneo, and it accordingly 

 received a separate scientific name. Later investigations indicate, however, that 

 this is not the case, and that »S'. satyrus is common to both islands, although in- 

 dividuals vary considerably in their colour; and Dr. John Anderson is of ojjinion 

 that a dark and a pale race may be distinguished, the latter being devoid of the 

 warty callosities on the sides of the face of the males. The Dyaks of Borneo, 

 by whom the orang is generally designated the Mias, appear to be fully acquainted 

 with these two races, calling the one provided with cheek excrescences the Mias 

 jxippan, and the one without these appendages the M. rambi. 



In addition to these two varieties of the true large orang, the Dyaks recognise 

 a third kind, which they distinguish as the M. kassir. These animals are much 

 smaller than the true orancr, and never have the excrescences on the cheeks. A 



