672 
size, seemed to justify the idea of the stature 
to which this species is supposed to grow: it 
was of a black colour, and consequently be- 
longed- to the black variety of this species, or 
that described in a young state by Dr, Ty- 
son. 
M. Vosmaer’s account of the manners of an 
Oran otan brought into Holland in the year 
177t>, and presented to the prince of Orange’s 
menagerie, is so curious and satisfactory, that 
we shali extract it from his accurate publica- 
tion on that subject. 
This animal was a female: its height was 
about two Rhenish feet and a half, tt shewed 
no symptoms of fierceness or malignity, and 
was even of a somewhat melancholy appear- 
ance. It was fond of being in company, and 
shewed a preference to those who took daily 
care of it, of which it seemed to be sensible. 
Often when they retired it would throw itself 
on the ground, as if in despair, uttering la- 
mentable cries, and tearing in pieces the linen 
within its reach. Its keeper having some- 
times been accustomed to sit near it on the 
ground, it took the hay of its bed, and laid it 
by its side, and seemed, by every demon- 
stration, to invite him to be seated near. 
Its usual manner of walking was on all-fours, 
like other apes; but it could also walk on its 
two hind feet only. One morning it got un- 
chained, and we beheld it with wonderful 
agility ascend the beams and rafters of the 
building: it was not without some pains that 
it was retaken, and we then remarked an ex- 
traordinary muscular power in the animal ; the 
assistance of lour men being necessary, in or- 
der to hold it in such a manner as to be pro- 
perly secured. During its state of liberty it 
had, amongst other things, taken the cork 
from a bottle containing some Malaga wine, 
which it drank to the last drop, and had set 
the bottle in its place again. It ate almost 
every thing which was given it; but its chief 
food was bread, roots, and especially carrots; 
all sorts of fruits, especially strawberries ; and 
appeared extremely fond of aromatic plants, 
as parsley and its root. It also ate meat, 
both boiled and roasted, as well as fish. It 
was not observed to hunt for insects like other 
monkeys; it was fond of eggs, which it broke 
with its teeth and sucked completely ; but 
fish and roast meat seemed its favourite food. 
It had been taught to eat with a spoon and a 
fork. When presented with strawberries on 
a plate, it was extremely pleasant to see the 
animal take them up, one by one, with a fork, 
and put them into its mouth, holding, at the 
same time, the plate in the other hand. Its 
common drink was water; but it also very 
willingly drank all sorts of wine, and particu- 
larly Malaga. After drinking it wiped its 
lips, and after eating, if presented with a 
tooth-pick, would use it in a proper manner. 
I was assured, that on shipboard it ran freely 
about the vessel, played with the sailors, and 
would go, like them, into the kitchen for its 
mess. At the approach of night it would lie 
clown to sleep ; and prepared its bed by shak- 
ing well the hay on which it slept, and put- 
ting it in proper order, and, lastly, covering 
itself warm with the coverlet. One day, see- 
ing the padlock of its chain opened with a 
key, and shut again, it seized a little bit of 
stick, and put it into the key-hole, turning it 
about in all directions, endeavouring to see 
whether the padlock would open or not. 
Tliis animal lived seven months in Holland. 
SIMIA; 
On its first arrival it had but very little hair, 
except on its back ;tnd arms: but on the ap- 
proach of winter it became extremely well 
covered ; the hair on the back being three 
inches in length. The whole animal then 
appeared oi a chesnut-colour; the skin ot the 
face, &c. was of a mouse-colour, but about 
the eyes and round tire mouth ot a dull flesh- 
colour. 
It came from the island of Borneo, and was 
deposited in the museum of the prince ot 
Orange. 
Upon the whole, it appears clearly that 
there are two distinct species of this animal, 
viz. the pongo, or great black oran otan, 
which is a native of Africa, and the reddish 
brown or chesnut oran otan, called the jocko, 
which is a native of Borneo and some other 
Indian islands. This latter, as appears from 
a collation of most ot the specimens which 
have been surveyed with the necessary de- 
gree of exactness, is distinguished by having 
no nails on the great toes ; whereas in the 
pongo, or black species, they are conspi- 
cuous. 
2. Simia lar, or long-armed ape. This is a 
species of a more deformed appearance than 
the oran otan, and is distinguished by the ex- 
cessive length of its arms, which, when the 
animal stands upright, are capable ot touch- 
ing the ground with the fingers. It is a na- 
tive of India and some of the Indian islands, 
and grows to the height of four feet or more. 
Its colour is black ; but the face is commonly 
surrounded by a whitish beard. 
Notwithstanding the apparent ferocity of 
the gibbon, and the deformity of its figure, it 
is of a more tractable and gentle nature than 
most of its tribe, and lias even been celebrated 
for the decorum and modesty of its behaviour. 
Considered with respect to the rest of the ge- 
nus it ranks among the genuine apes, or those 
which have not the least vestige of a tail ; and 
like the oran otan, alarms the pride of man- 
kind by too near an approach to the real pri- 
mates of the creation. Nay, Linnteus, in his 
description, actually places it in the genus 
homo, under the title of homo lar. 
3. Simia sylvanus, pigmy. This is the small- 
est of the genuine apes, or those destitute of 
tails. In its general appearance, as well as 
in colour, it extremely resembles the Barbary 
ape; but is not larger than a cat, and has a 
rounder or flatter face than the Barbary ape. 
This is supposed, by Mr. Pennant, to have 
been the pigmy of the antients, which was 
said to wage war, at certain seasons, with the 
cranes. It is a native of Ethiopia, where it is 
most common ; but it is also found in other 
parts of Africa. It is easily tamed, and is 
much more docile and gentle than the former 
species. 
BABOONS. 
4. Simia sphinax, common baboon. This 
is a species of very considerable size, and 
when in a sitting posture, is from three to 
four feet in height. It is extremely strong 
and muscular in its upper parts, and slender 
towards the middle ; but this is the general 
shape of all the true baboons ; its colour is an 
uniform greyish-brown, paler beneath; the 
hairs on the upper parts, if narrowly inspect- 
ed, appear as it mottled ; tire face is long, and 
of a tawny flesh-colour ; the eyes appear as 
if sunk into the head, or very deeply sealed, 
and are of a hazel colour. The hands and 
feet have strong blunt claws ; but the thumbs 
of the hands have rounded nails. '1 he tail is 
very short. It is ferocious in its manners, 
and’ its appearance is at once grotesque and 
formidable. The region surrounding the tail, 
to a considerable distance on each side, is 
perfectly bare and callous, and ot a red co- 
lour. This is also common, in a greater or 
smaller degree, to the rest of this division. It 
is a native of the island of Borneo. 
5. Simia mormon, variegated baboood. 
This is at least equal in size, if not superior, 
to the former, and, when in an upright pos- 
ture, is about five feet high. It is the most 
remarkable of the whole genus for brilliancy 
and variety of colour. The general tinge 
is a rich and very deep yellowish-brown ; the 
hairs, if viewed near, appearing speckled 
with yellow and black. The form of the 
face is long, with the snout ending somewhat 
abruptly; the whole length of the nose, 
down the middle, is of a deep blood-red; but 
the parts on each side are of a fine violet- 
blue, deeply marked by several oblique fur- 
rows. The remainder of the face is of a pale 
whitish-yellow. It is a native of the interior 
parts of Africa ; but it is said to have been 
also brought from India. 
The variegated baboon is of a fierce dispo- 
sition, and extremely muscular and strong. 
Its voice somewhat resembles the slight roar 
of a lion : it is a rare species, and is not often 
imported into Europe. 
6. Simia maimon, maimon. The syno- 
nyms between this species and the former 
are commonly confounded. It is described 
by the count de Bullbn under the name of 
mandrill. It is an active animal, and seems 
far less indocile and malignant than the rest 
of the baboons. 1 he general likeness which 
it bears to the former species is such as to 
give the idea of the same animal in a less ad- 
vanced state of growth, and with less brilliant 
colours; the nose, instead of being red oil 
its upper part, is merely flesh-coloured ; but 
the sides are blue and furrowed, as in the 
former species. This baboon is not uncom- 
mon in exhibitions of animals. Its length 
from nose to tail is about two feet, 'fail ex- 
actly as in the former. 
The next division of the baboons consists 
of such as have iong tails. Of these the chief 
is the 
7. Simia hamadryas, dog-faced baboon. 
This species is of an elegant colour, composed 
of a mixture of grey and brown, the hair ap- 
pearing as if speckled. It is a very large 
animal, at least equal, if not superior, in size 
to tiie common brown baboon and the mor- 
mon. It is remarkable for a vast quantity of 
flowing hair on each side the head, as well 
as round the shoulders, spreading in such a 
manner as to give the appearance of a short 
cloak or mantle. The whole face is naked, 
and of a flesh-colour, more or less deep in 
different individuals. The tail is almost the 
length of the body, and is com i'll only a little 
tufted at the end. The nails on the hands or 
fore-feet are flat ; those on the hind-feet re- 
semble strong claws. This is a rare species 
in comparison with the common baboon, and 
is a native of the hottest parts of Africa and 
Asia, where it is said to reside in vast troops, 
and to be very fierce and dangerous. There 
is a wonderful degree of sagacity in the conn- 
