ORANGS. 
53 
Mr. Wallace describes the nest, or sleeping-place, of the orang as being 
generally constructed in a comparatively small tree, at a height of from some 
20 to 50 feet from the ground; a situation at this elevation being protected 
from wind by the taller surrounding trees. The Dyaks believe that the orang 
constructs a fresh nest every night; but, as Mr. Wallace remarks, if this were the 
case, the deserted nests would be much more common than they really are. These 
animals remain in their nests till the sun has risen sufficiently high to have dried 
the dew from the forest leaves. Their feeding-time is during the middle of the 
day; but it appears that they seldom return for more than two consecutive days to 
the same tree for this purpose. Mr. Wallace observes that the orang must have a 
task of considerable difficulty in getting at the interior of the durian, since this 
fruit is protected by a thick and tough skin, covered with strong conical prickles. 
Probably, however, the animal first bites off a few of these prickles or spines, and 
then makes a small hole into which it inserts its fingers, and thus manages to pull 
the fruit in pieces. 
In Captivity. 
Many accounts have been given of the habits of orangs in 
captivity. Of these the earliest is the one by Yosmaer relating to the 
young female, which, as we have already mentioned, was living in the menagerie of 
the Prince of Orange in 1776. A later account of an orang brought to Java was 
given about the year 1830 by Dr. Clark Abel. On board ship this animal was 
allowed to roam freely about, and soon became on good terms with the sailors, 
whom it surpassed in the agility with which it ascended the rigging. It was, 
indeed, often pursued by the sailors from one part of the rigging to the other, 
when, finding itself unable to escape from them by direct speed, it would swing itself 
out of their reach by grasping a loose end of rope, and thus bring the chase to an 
end. On other occasions this animal would wait among the rigging, or at the 
mast-head, till the sailors were almost within touching distance, when it would 
suddenly lower itself to the deck by the nearest rope, or pass from one mast to 
another by means of the mainstay. Any attempts to dislodge the animal when 
aloft, by violently shaking or swaying the ropes by which it was suspended, were 
found to be quite ineffectual, although it often appeared to the spectator that the 
muscles of the orang would be unable to withstand the strain to which they were 
exposed. In its playful moods this orang is described as swinging itself suddenly 
within arm’s length of one of its pursuers, and after having struck him a harmless 
blow with its outstretched hand, as suddenly swinging off in the opposite direction. 
Dr. Abel states that while in Java this orang was lodged in a large tamarind 
tree growing near the house of his master. Here he was accustomed to form a 
kind of nest or bed for himself by plaiting the smaller boughs together, and 
strewing the platform thus made with leaves. In the daytime the animal was in 
the habit of lying in this couch with his head projecting over the edge, and thus 
watched with interest all the passers-by. When any of these happened to be 
carrying fruit, the ape would descend from his lair and endeavour to obtain a 
portion. At sunset, or even sooner, it would retire to its nest for the night; while 
at the first rays of dawn it would be again afoot, and endeavouring to obtain its 
usual food. When on board ship the mast-head formed its usual sleeping-place, 
