308 ON THE 



a varying number of grinders, have parallel front 

 teeth, or grinders in each jaw, and one canine 

 tooth on each side of the incisors. In this order, 

 the feet resemble hands, having fingers for the 

 most part furnished with flattened oval nails ; 

 and the animals belonging to it, live partly on 

 animal, and partly on vegetable food. It con- 

 sists of four genera; including man, the ape 

 tribes, the lemur, and the bat families. 



Having, in the preceding lecture, treated upon 

 the natural history of man, the animals belonging 

 to the ape genus become the next for considera- 

 tion. Of these four species, between sixty 

 and seventy varieties Jiave been noticed by na- 

 turalists ; and, as they all, more or less, in their 

 structure and actions, bear some resemblance to 

 the human species, they have naturally excited 

 the attention of the philosopher ; but more espe- 

 cially the Ourarig Outang, of whose history there- 

 fore, I propose, after a few general observations 

 on this genus, to submit to you a brief account. 



The physical distinctions of the ape genus are 

 to be found, first, in the structure and situation 

 of their teeth, they having four incisors or cutting 

 teeth standing alone in each jaw; molares or 

 grinders with obtuse points ; and between the 

 latter and the incisors, canine teeth, solitary and 

 projecting. Secondly, in possessing four hands 

 in the place of feet, which gives them that faci- 

 lity in climbing, which forms one of their most 



