MAMMALIA—ORANG OUTANG. i | 
or much pleased. Each of the jaws contains twelve teeth; namely, four 
incisive teeth, the two middle ones of the upper jaw being twice the width 
of the lateral; two canine, and six molar teeth. The ears are small, closely 
resembling the human ear, and have their lower margins in the same line 
with the external angles of the eyes. 
“The chest is wide compared with the pelvis: the belly is very protube- 
rant. The arms are long in proportion to the height of the animal. The 
legs are short, compared with the arms. 
“The hands are long, compared with their width and with the humar 
hand. The fingers are small and tapering: the thumb is very short, scarce, 
ly reaching the first joint of the fore finger. All the fingers have vert 
perfect nails, of a blackish color, and oval form, and exactly terminating 
with the extremities of the fingers. The feet are long, and resemble 
hands, in the palms, and in having fingers rather than toes, but have heels 
resembling the human. The great toes are very short, are set on at right 
angles to the feet close to the heel, and are entirely without nails. 
“The orang outang of Borneo, is utterly incapable of walking in a perfect- 
ly erect posture. He betrays this in his whole exterior conformation, and 
never voluntarily attempts to counteract its tendency. His head leaning 
forward, and forming a considerable 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 required 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 keeper, that he is obliged, in the performance of his task, to raise his 
arms above his head, and throw them behind him, to keep his balance. His 
progressive motion on a flat surface is accomplished by placing his bent fists 
upon the ground, and drawing his body between his arms: moving in this 
manner, he strongly resembles a person decrepit in the legs, supported on 
crutches. Ina state of nature he probably seldom moves along the ground; 
his whole external configuration showing his fitness for climbing trees, and 
clinging to their branches. The length and pliability of his fingers and toes 
enable him to grasp with facility and steadiness, and the force of his muscles 
empowers him to support his body for a great length of time by one hand 
or foot. He can thus pass from one fixed object to another, at the distance 
of his span from each other, and can opviously pass from one branch of a 
tree to another, through a much greater interval. In sitting on a flat 
-surface, this animal turns his legs under him. In sitting on the branch 
of a tree, or on a rope, he rests on his heels, his body leaning forward 
against his thighs. This animal uses his hands like cthers of the mon- 
key tribe.” : 
The individual described by Dr Abel, “on his arrival in Java from Bata- 
via, was allowed to be entirely at liberty, till within a day or two of being 
put on board the Cesar to be conveyed to England; and whilst at large, 
made no attempt to escape: but became violent when put into a large 
