658 MAMMALIA. 



perfectly formed than our own, being opposable to the other fingers, 

 and thus secure a firm and steady grasp. The bones of the fore- 

 arm are free, and accurately articulated with each other ; the pro- 

 nation and supination of the hand are, therefore, now accomplished 

 with, facility. In the construction of the feet the same provisions 

 have been made to enable them to take a firm grasp : the toes, 

 like the fingers of the hand, are long and flexible, and the repre- 

 sentative of the great toe is converted into a very perfect thumb, 

 easily opposable to the rest ; the foot, or posterior hand, therefore, 

 equals, or even surpasses in its powers of prehension, the hand 

 which terminates the anterior limb. For many of the American 

 monkeys a fifth hand has been provided, formed by their long and 

 muscular tail, which, from its extreme flexibility, can be forcibly 

 twisted around any foreign object, and holds it with a tenacious 

 grasp. Thus abundantly furnished with prehensile instruments, 

 the Quadrumana are obviously most excellent and accomplished 

 climbers ; springing fearlessly through the forest by strong and 

 vigorous leaps, or chasing their prey even to the topmost branches 

 of the trees wherein they live. 



(739.) But, however grotesquely some of the more anthropoid 

 Quadrumana resemble the human race, the approximation, even in 

 their outward form, is at best exceedingly remote. The lower 

 tribes, such as the Lemurs of Madagascar, walk on all fours like 

 cats, and are still remarkable for their long and fox-like muzzle. 

 The brutal and ferocious Baboons are scarcely more human in their 

 appearance ; and even in the most elevated species, called by the 

 vulgar ' wild men of the woods," the interval that separates them 

 from humanity is wide indeed ! 



Taking the skeleton of the Orang-Outang (Simia Satyrus) as 

 one of the most perfect examples met with in the class under con- 

 sideration, it is at once evident that such an animal is by no means 

 adapted to walk in an erect position, although well fitted to main- 

 tain a semi-upright attitude, such as is best calculated for climb- 

 ing. The skull, whose very outline indicates brutal ferocity, is 

 armed with canine teeth, scarcely less formidable than those of 

 the Tiger ; and the massive jaws of this creature are moved 

 by muscles almost equally powerful. It is true that the protu- 

 berance of the face is considerably diminished, and the facial 

 angle thus materially enlarged ; but to make up for the feeble- 

 ness of the upper jaw, consequent upon this reduced size of 

 the bones composing it, additional strength is needed to re- 



