MAMMIFEROUS ANIMALS. 



taught to do so for a short time, or his having 

 been occasionally seen in the wild state in that 

 position ; yet, 1 consider it to be physically im- 

 possible, that he can stand or walk erect for any 

 length of time without returning to his natural 

 attitude, the horizontal. Since the width of the 

 chest, compared with the pelvis which is ex- 

 tremely contracted, the shortness of the lower 

 extremities in proportion to the arms, with the 

 great deficiency of muscle in the flanks, thighs, 

 and legs, and the narrowness and length of the 

 feet, all tend to throw the head and body for- 

 ward when in the erect position, and compel the 

 animal, when walking in that attitude, frequently 

 to return his arms to the ground, to enable him 

 to preserve his equilibrium. This is confirmed 

 by Doctor Abel, who makes the following re- 

 marks. 



" The Ourang Outang is utterly incapable of 

 walking in a perfectly erect posture ; he betrays 

 this in his whole exterior confirmation, and never 

 wilfully attempts to counteract its tendency. 

 His head leaning forward and forming a consid- 

 erable angle with the back, throws the centre of 

 gravity so far beyond the perpendicular, that his 

 arms, like the fore legs of other animals, are re- 

 quired to support the body. So difficult indeed 

 is it for him to keep the upright position for a few 

 seconds, under the direction of his master, that 

 he is obliged, in the performance of his task, to 



