PLATE LVII. 



culture and tuition in his infancy is taught to go constantly erect, the 

 Orang-Outang was incapable of walking invariably erect also. The 

 result has proved, that although his conformation is confessedly not 

 so well adapted to an erect position, and much less to that firm and 

 noble upright posture natural to man, there is nothing to render it 

 physically impossible for this animal to walk erect; but for this pur- 

 pose he must tread upon the exterior side or edge and not the 

 sole of the foot, and proceed with some slight inclination of the body 

 from its direct perpendicular, in order to equipoise exactly the various 

 portions of his frame. 



That an erect position could not be very unnatural to the 

 Orang-Outang appeared in the first instance probable from the man- 

 ner of his lying on his back with his legs stretclied out while in bed 5 

 nor does the length and preponderance of the head appear to be any 

 material impediment to its movements in an erect position, since the 

 face presents a front perpendicular with the body. The great bulk 

 of the abdomen, added to the comparative shortness of the legs and 

 thighs, incline the animal to prefer sitting in a squat position, and 

 when seated the legs are partly crossed and folded under him, much 

 in the same manner as is customary among the Turks and Arabs 

 and other eastern nations when they sit down. This mode of rest- 

 ing could be no argument therefore against the possibility of its 

 walking in an erect position, since among those nations by whom it ^ 

 is in daily practice, we find the most noble and perfect forms of the 

 human race when they stand erect. Indeed we have seen the 

 Orang-Outang walk across the room with no ill-grace, and we have 

 been assured also that he was not unfrequently accustomed to walk in 

 the same manner with sufficient ease, and without compulsion, as though 



