70 MAMMALIA— ORANG OUTANG. 



one half of the rest of the visage. The face is bluish. There are neither 

 pouches in the cheeks, nor callosities on the posteriors. The hinder thumbs 

 are remarkably short. This celebrated ape resembles man more nearly 

 than any other animal, in the form of the head and the volume of the brain. 



The natural history of the orang outang has been miserably disfigured by 

 the mixture of it with that of other apes of the larger size, more especially 

 Avith that of the chimpanse. Upon a critical examination, (says Cuvier,) 

 I have ascertained that he inhabits the most oriental countries only, as 

 Malacca, Cochin China, and particularly the great island of Borneo, whence 

 he has been brought to Europe by way of Java, though but rarely. He is 

 gentle, easily tamed, and capable of attachment. From the character of his 

 physical conformation, he can arrive at some facility in the imitation of 

 several human actions ; but his intelligence by no means equals the exag- 

 gerated accounts we have received of it, nor docs it appear to surpass much 

 that of the canine species. Camper has discovered, and ably described, two 

 membranous sacs, which produce a thickness and hoarseness in the voice; 

 but he was wrong in believing that the nails are always wanting on the 

 hinder thumbs. 



We are in possession of some very minute and labored descriptions of this 

 animal, especially by M. Cuvier, Professor Camper, Tilesius, and Dr Abel. 

 The last Ave shall present to the reader in the author's own words, as scien- 

 tific, useful, and highly interesting. 



" The hair of the orang outang is of a brownish red color, and covers his 

 back, arms, legs, and outside of his hands and feet. On the back it is in 

 some places six inches long, and on his arms five. It is thinly scattered 

 over his hands and feet, and is very short. It is directed downwards on the 

 back, upper arm, and legs, and upwards on the fore arm. The face has no 

 hair except on its sides, somewhat in the manner of Avhiskers, and a very 

 thin beard. The shoulders, elbows, and knees, have fewer hairs than other 

 parts of the arms and legs. The palms of the hands and feet are quite 

 naked. 



" The prevailing color of the animal's skin, when naked, or seen through 

 the hair, is a bluish gray. 



"The head, viewed in front, is pear-shaped, expanding from the chin 

 upwards, the cranium being much the larger end. The eyes are close 

 together, of an oval form, and dark brown color. The eyelids are fringed 

 with lashes, and the lower ones are saccular and wrinkled. The nose is 

 scarcely raised above the level of the face, except at the nostrils, which are 

 but little elevated : their openings are narrow and oblique. The mouth is 

 very projecting, and of a roundish mammillary form. Its opening is large, 

 and when closed is marked by little more than a narrow seam. The lips 

 are very narrow, and scarcely perceptible when the mouth is shut. The 

 chin projects less than the mouth : below it, a pendulous membrane gives 

 the appearance of a double chin, and swells out when the animal is angry 



