549 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 



ANTHROPOID APES {Continued). 



The Oubang-outang {Simla satyrus) is anotter man-like ape, and 

 therefore a near relative of the gorilla and chimpanzee, but it is not 

 a resident of the same country, for its habitation is confined to the 

 limited region of thick forests that cover the swampy lowlands of 

 Borneo and Sumatra. Even there it is a rare animal, but larger 

 numbers are to be found in the former island than in the latter. 



The name ourang-outang is of Malay origin, and means " wild 

 man of the woods." 



This ape has such long arms that the tips of the fingers can 

 touch the ground when it is standing upright. The hair of the body 

 is coarse and reddish coloured, and is much thicker on the head, 

 shoulders, and back than on the fore part of the body. The neck 

 is short and thick ; the face, which is of a somewhat bluish tint, 

 has a particularly flat nose, thin and protuberant lips. The ears 

 are small. The head of the young animal exhibits in outward 

 appearance signs of some intellectual powers, for it is round and 

 the forehead high, but as it advances in age it degenerates in this 

 way and the expression of intelligence disappears. 



The habits of the Asiatic apes in their natural condition are better 

 known than those of their African congeners, for there are not the 

 same physical dangers and difficulties attending the exploration 

 of the forests in which they have their abode, consequently 

 travellers can verify to a great extent the information they get 

 from native sources. 



The noted authority on the ourang-outang in its wild state is Mr. 

 A. R. Wallace, who spent some time in the islands of Borneo and 



1 " The Malay Archipelago, the Land of the Orang-Utan and the Bird of 

 Paradise." 



