208 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



remarkably short. This celebrated ape resem- 

 bles 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 with that of the Chimpanse. Upon a 

 critical examination 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 very 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 exaggerated accounts we have received of 

 it, nor does it appear to surpass much that of 

 the canine species. Camper has discovered, 

 and ably described two membranous sacs which 

 communicate with the ventricles of the glottis 

 in this animal, and produce a thickness and 

 hoarseness in the voice ; but he was wrong in 

 believing that the nails are always wanting on 

 the hinder thumbs. 



The Black. Gibbon, (Simia Lar.) Buffb?i xiv., it. 



Is covered with coarse and long black hairs. 

 The circle round the face, and also the hands, 



