5 = 



APES AXD MONKEYS. 



young individual of tliis orang was described many years ago by Sir Richard 

 Owen as Simia vioi'io. An orang wliich lived a short time in the London 

 Zoological Society's Gardens was at first considered to be an adult of this form, and 

 to prove its right to be regarded as a distinct species. Tlie orang in (juestion was 

 presented to the Zoological Society, in whose Gardens it was received during the 

 spring of 1891, by Commander E. Rasoii, R.N., who wrote to Mr. R L. Sclater, stating 

 that he obtained the animal at Kuchiug, near Sarawak, in Borneo, from some natives, 

 who brought it to him slung on a pole. " At fii-st it was extremely savage, and 

 tried to bite, but soon became comparatively tame, and after a week would allow 

 itself to be carried about and made a pet of. After three months' time, ' George,' " 

 as Commander Rason calls his pet, " does not seem to have grown in height at all, 

 and, judging by the look of his teeth, nmst be about ten years old ; but, having 

 liad plenty to eat and but little exercise, has grown much fatter." On the death 

 of this animal, it was found, however, that its age was much less than had been 

 supposed, all the milk-teeth being still in place. Although the shape of its head 

 was decidedly larger than in the ordinary orang, this specimen does not appear to 

 indicate decisively that the lesser orang is a distinct species. 



Orangs are stated to be much more numerous in Borneo than in 

 SuTnatra; and, since dense, low-lying forests are essential to their 

 existence, they are not found in the neighbourliood of Sarawak, Avhere the ground 

 is hilly. The unbroken, large areas of pi-imeval forests, occurring in many parts 

 of Borneo, are the true home of the orangs ; such forests, according to Mi-. Wallace, 

 being like open ground to these apes, since they can travel in every direction from 

 tree to tree, as easily as the North Amei-ican Indian traverses his native prairie. 

 In all their movements these apes are slow and deliberate : this being especially 

 noticeable with the perfectly healthy adults which have been exhibited in the 

 Zoological Gai'dens at Calcutta, where they enjoyed a climate not unlike their 

 own. This deliberation in their movements is noticeable in Mi-. Wallace's descrip- 

 tion of the manner in which orangs travel through the forest when midisturbed 

 and at ease. We are told that they proceed ■VAath gi-eat circumspection along the 

 larger branches of the trees in the half-upright position rendered necessary by the 

 great length of their arms and the shoi-tness of their legs. Almost invariably they 

 select such trees as have their branches interlaced with the adjacent ones ; and, when 

 such boughs are within reach, they catch hold of them with their arms as if to trj' 

 their strength, after which thej^ deliberately venture upon them. Although the 

 orang never leaps or jumps, and never seems to be in a hurrj^, yet he will make his 

 way overhead in the forest as fast as a man can run on the ground below. In 

 this progression the long powerfid arms are of the greatest service ; and it is b}- 

 their aid that the orang plucks the choicest fniit from boughs too light to support 

 his weight, and likewise gathers the leaves and young shoots to form his nest. 



The orangs, like gorillas, go in small family parties, consisting of the parents 

 accompanied frequently by from two to four young ones. Although they will 

 devour leaves, buds, and young shoots, — more especially those of the bamboo, — the 

 chief food of the orang consists of fruiis of various kinds, the prime favourite 

 being the luscious but ill-smelling durian or jack-fi-uit. Of this fruit they waste a 

 vast quantity, throwing the rejected rinds on the ground below. 



