xn] A FEMALE MAYAS TJAPING 



the Chinaman who had brought me the big Mayas Tj ap- 

 ing, and with whom my dollars had more power than the 

 threats of the Kunsi, brought me a magnificent head of an 

 orang-utan which he assured me was that of a female Mayas 

 Tj aping, but it differed considerably from that of the male, 

 having only slight vestiges of the lateral face-expansions which are 

 so characteristic of the bigger species of these anthropoids. It 

 was, however, somewhat different from any of the Mayas Kassa I 

 had yet seen, not only in its much greater size, but also in the large 

 development of the temporal muscles and their insertion near the 

 middle line of the skull, which, nevertheless, appeared devoid of any 

 sagittal crest. I preserved this head with all its soft parts in a 

 strong solution of spirits and salt. It is one of the most interesting 

 specimens of the series of orang-utans which I sent to the Museo 

 Civico at Genoa, where it is still intact (Figs. 31, 32). 1 The body to 

 which this head belonged had been left in the jungle, for it was 

 mauled and spoilt, but had the hour not been so late and the spot 

 so far distant, I should certainly have gone there to verify the 

 sex. Next day it would have been useless, for during the night the 

 wild pigs would certainly have devoured it. I must say that I 

 had not entire faith in Atzon's assertion regarding the sex of the 

 specimen, for I had backed my strong recommendations regarding 

 his getting me a female of the Mayas Tj aping with the offer of 

 a good reward, and he was thus directly interested in bringing me 

 one, or a specimen which might pass muster as such. On the very 

 same day Atzon had come across a very big male Mayas Tj aping, 

 and had fired several shots at it and wounded it ; but it had sought 

 refuge on a large tree, where, in a high fork, it had formed a nest 

 from which Atzon did not succeed in dislodging it. Big Mayas 

 seldom fall, unless mortally wounded in the first instance by a bullet 

 in the heart or head. I had, however, given special instructions 

 not to aim at the head in order not to injure the skull. 



Atzon having proposed to take me to a place where, according 

 to his account, I was sure to meet with Mayas, I started on 

 April 29th for the projected hunt. I arranged with him and a friend 

 of his that they should each of them receive one dollar per diem, if 

 their assertion turned out true, and only two rupees if we saw no 

 orangs. I took with me rice for four days, a few boxes of sardines, 

 a notebook, measure, scalpels, quinine, and a few other necessaries, 

 besides my gun and ammunition. A Dyak carried all my traps, 



1 I wish here to thank Mr. G. B. Traverso, of Genoa, for having kindly- 

 taken for me the photographs reproduced in the Figs. 31 and 32 ; but more 

 specially do I express my deep gratitude to my old friend. Professor R. Gestro, 

 for the kind courtesy with which he has always satisfied my queries and 

 furnished me with information on the animals preserved in the Museo 

 Civico at Genoa, of which he is the Vice-Director. 



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