92 Rai K. B. Sanyal Bahadur — Animals kept in the Alipore. [No. 2, 



bills and legs, the latter of a black colour. Their behaviour was quiet ; 

 bufc they were never placed with other birds, so I do not know how they 

 would have treated these. Like Dr. Vilaro's specimens, they seemed to 

 be very sensible to heat, panting more than other birds, and their only 

 cry was a piping, chirping sound, very different from the harsh note 

 of the birds which came uuder Dr. Vilaro's observation. 



VIII. — Notes on Animals kept in the Alipore Zoological Garden. No. I. — . 

 By Rai K. B. Sanyal Bahadur, Superintendent of the Garden. 



[Received March 26th; Read April 2nd, 1902.] 



Observations on the habits op Orang Outang in captivity. 



Orang Outang thinks and acts with a view to accomplishing an 

 object. An Orang Outang and a Proboscis Monkey (Semnopithecus 

 [Nasalis~] larvatus), lived in two contiguous cages separated by iron gra- 

 tings. Although of different temperaments — the Orang Outang lively, 

 vivacious and prone to mischief, and the monkey phlegmatic and indo- 

 lent — they were best of friends ; and enjoyed each other's company as 

 much as the intervening partition would allow. The Orang's friend- 

 ship for the monkey was, however, not altogether disinterested. They 

 were usually fed about the same time upon the same kind of food, and 

 as the Orang Outang was blessed with a keen appetite, he had no 

 scruple to help himself, to as much of his friend's share as chance 

 brought within his reach. One morning he was found making despe- 

 rate attempts to aunex the remnants of the monkey's breakfast by 

 repeatedly thrusting his arms through the gratings. Bub all his tricks 

 and trouble availed him not, as the light tin vessel containing the 

 tempting morsel lay beyond the reach of his long arms. Having failed 

 in his attempt to get at the food, he sat still for a few seconds as 

 if to collect his thoughts, and to devise means for the accomplishment of 

 his object, and presently made a rush into his sleeping apartment, 

 fetched a quantity of straw, and twisted it into a sort of rough 

 rope, and with it began striking the tin vessel containing the food, 

 and ultimately succeeded in bringing it within the reach of his arms. 



Orang Outang imitating human action. It is well known that 

 in their wild state Orang Outangs indulge in the habit of building 

 platforms of twigs and branches on large trees. Given opportunities 

 they would do the same iu captivity also. 



The Orang Outang whose habits are here chi'onicled, was a remark- 

 ably docile animal, and was, therefore, allowed to enjoy as much free- 



