142 
mals, it must be observed, that the co- 
Jour of the Oran Otan ts usually a ferru- 
ginous or reddish-brown, that of the 
Chimpanzee is dark brown, or blackish. 
The former, when full grown, is from 
five to six feet in height, and the. latter 
from two and a half, to three feet. The 
face of each 1s naked of hair, and has a 
rude resemblance to the human counte- 
nance. ‘The facial angle is, however, 
considerably more acute, and conse- 
quently the forehead is more thrown 
back, than in any human subject. The 
hands and feet have a near resemblance 
to those of men, except that, in the lat- 
ter, the toes are so long and flexible, as 
to be capable of grasping solid bodies, 1n 
the same manner as the hands. ~In each 
of these animals, the hair of the fore-arm 
is reversed, or stands with the ends back- 
ward. 
The Oran Otan is a native of the fo- 
rests of some parts of Africa, and of the 
island of Borneo, and the Chimpan- 
zee has hitherto been found only in Afri- 
€a, anda few parts of Asia. 
Neither of the animals have beenoften 
conveyed alive into Europe. A Chim. 
panzee was exhibited in London in the 
year 1698, and another in the year 1738; 
and, in the course of the last century, 
three or four were, at different times, 
brought into France. There was a pair 
of these animals in the Leverian Muse- 
um; but they were so young when they 
died, that they afforded a very impgyfect 
representation of the species to which 
they belong. 
We are informed by Dapper, that the 
negroes of Africa, by various contri- 
vances, catch these animals when they are 
young, and tame them for the purpose of 
rendering them of service in domestic 
economy. He asserts, but perhaps he 
will not find many to credit his assertion, 
that they will do almost as much work as 
a slave; and that when ordered, they will 
beat rice in a mortar, fetch water, * &c. 
Gassendi, a French philosopher, who 
flourished at the latter end of the six- 
teenth century, informs us, that, ¢¢ they 
will play upon a pipe, or cittern, or other 
musical instrument: that they will sweep 
the house, turn the spit, and perform nue 
merous other domestic offices.” 
The. Chimpanzee that was_ brought 
into England in the year 1698, had heen 
caught in Angola, and very fat up in the 
country ; it was a male, and, at the time 
4g Description de l’Afrique, p. 249. 
+ Gassendi in vita Piereskii, p. 169. 
Anecdotes of the Oran Otan, and Chimpanzee. [Sept. 1, 
it was taken, had a female in company. - 
It was soon rendered tame. The per- 
son whose property it was, had a suit of 
clothes made for it, which, after a little 
while, it took great delight in. Such part 
of this dress as the animal could not put 
on by itself, it would bring in its paws te 
any person who was near to assist it. 
This animal died a short time after it 
came to London; and it was purchased 
and dissected by Dr. Tyson. He says, 
that when it came into his hands, it was 
full of vermin, which he was inclined to 
believe it had got while it was on board: 
the ship that brought it over.* 
An Oran Otan, described by M. D’Ob- 
sonville, was, when he first saw it, (two 
months after it had been caught), nearly 
five feet in height; although it was some- 
what savage, yet it indicated rather a 
degree of wildness and chagrin, than of 
ill nature, or ferocity. Its mouth was 
wide, its nose was flat, and. the bones of 
the cheeks were very prominent. [Its 
face was much wrinkled, and the skin of 
a whitish-brown colour, somewhat mixed 
with carnation. The hair of its head 
was five or six inches im length, and 
brownish; as was also that of the other 
parts of the body. The hairon the back 
was considerably thicker, and. more close 
set, than that of the belly. 
This animal was a male; it was never 
seen, by M. D'Obsonville, either to walk 
or run, in any other than an upright pos- 
ture. But he was informed, that, in = 
wild state, the Oran Otans, In running 
and leaping, sometimes employ both their 
hands and feet. 
He says, that, according to the reports 
_ of the Indians, these animals live toge- 
ther in small societies, amongst woods 
and mountains, which, to mankind, are 
very difficult of access. They have 
sometimes, though but seldom, been seen 
in the Mysore country, and other parts 
of the East Indies, 
Purchas’s account of the Qran Otan, in 
a wild state, although written nearly two 
hundred years ago, ts even yet interest- 
ing.—‘* This animal is, in all proportions, 
like a man, but he is more like a giant- 
creature, than a man : for he is very tall, 
and hath a man’s face, is hollowseyed, and 
hath long hair upen his brows. His face 
and ears are without hair, and his hands 
also. 
wery thick; and it is of a dunnish colour. 
He differeth not from a man, but in his 
~* See a further account in Dr. Shaw's Ge- 
neral Zoology, and-in Animal Biography, 
third edi;ion, vol. i, p. 45, 
degs, 
His body is full of hair, but not. 
