220 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



He very nearly attains the height of man. The 

 negroes of Guinea are much afraid of him. Many 

 traits of his history have been mixed with that 

 of the Chimpanse\ and of course, with that of 

 the Orang-Outang. 



The Pongos* 



Have the long arms and the absence of tail peculiar 

 to the Orang-Outangs, with the cheek-pouches of 

 the Guenons and Baboons, and a form of head alto- 

 gether peculiar. The forehead retreats consider- 

 ably, and the cranium is small and compressed. The 

 face is of a pyramidal form, in consequence of the 

 elevation of the mounting branches of the lower jaw, 

 which indicates in the organs of the voice some dis- 

 position analogous to that which has been observed 

 in the howling monkeys of America. We know al- 

 ready, that they have a membranous pouch adhering 

 to the larynx, like the baboons. 



As yet but one ^species is known, which is the 

 largest of the monkey tribe, and one of the most 

 formidable of animals. It is brown, with face and 

 hands black, and inhabits the island of Borneo. 

 Many traits of its history have doubtless been min- 



* The name Pongo, corrupted from that of Boggo, which in 

 Africa is given to the Chimpanse, or to the Mandrill, has been ap- 

 plied by Buffon to a large species of Orang-Outang, which never 

 existed but in his own imagination. Wurmb has transferred it to 

 the animal described above, which he was the first to describe, 

 and of which Buffon had no idea. Mem. de la Soc. de Batavia, 

 torn. II. p. 245. i 



