ORDER QUADRUMANA. 239 



species which have been seen in Europe were young. The 

 stature of the animal when adult is uncertain. 



Camper observes of an Orang Outang which he had 

 dissected, that the rotulae and some other parts were 

 still cartilaginous. This individual he consequently thinks 

 had not attained above two thirds of its height, of which 

 however he seems to believe that four feet would be the 

 maximum. 



We are in possession of some very minute and laboured 

 descriptions of this animal, especially by M. F. Cuvier, 

 Professor Camper, Tilesius, and Dr. Abel. The last we 

 shall present to the reader in the author's own words, as 

 scientific, useful, and highly interesting. 



The great toes or thumbs of the hinder hands appear 

 to have no nail and but one joint, but this fact has been 

 questioned by Tilesius and Cuvier as characteristic of the 

 animal. The specimen brought from Java by Dr. Abel, 

 from which the following description was written, was 

 marked by this peculiarity, and the Doctor mentions 

 nine similar instances. On the other hand, there appear 

 to be but two cited to the contrary, one by F. Cuvier and 

 the other by Tilesius. 



" The hair of the Orang Outang is of a brownish red 

 colour, 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 the 

 back of his hands and feet, and is very short. It is di- 

 rected 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 whiskers, 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 colour of the animal's skin, when naked, 

 or seen through the hair, is a bluish gray. 



S 2 



