The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-15
A Family Of Orang. Outangs.

yesterday the attendance, on account OF
the storm, was very small, though the
most interesting specimens perhaps In
the collection were put on exhibition,
being family of orang-outangs. There
are five of them, a very old and large
male, two younger males, female, and
a very young one. They are, repre-
sented as among the branches OF trees
made in imitation of their native trees
in Borneo, and each one is so disposed as
to exhibit some popularity of their
structure and habits. They were stuff
fed and placed in position at the estab-
lishment of Prof. Ward, in Rochester.
Prof. Ward some time ago dispatched to
Borneo especially TO collect specimens of
the orang-outang an agent who sue
ceeded in killing forty. The specimens
at the museum were purchased at cost
of 81, 400. They are now fenced off in
the northeast coner of the main floor,
but as soon as, a glass case can be made
to protect them from touch they will be
exhibited a little to the rear of the CEN
ter of the room.
The most prominent place, in the CEN
ter of the group, is given to the old man,
who is as large as man, weighs about
100 pounds, and is remarkable for his
ugliness. He is hanging by his left arm
to high limb, against which, lower
down, rests his left foot. His right leg
hangs down easily, while his right arm
is stretched at full length, exhibiting his
great reach, at least eight feet, from tip
to tip of his fingers. His legs are much
shorter, and his body, which is clumsy
in shape, is also comparatively short.
The arms of the orang-outang reach to
the heel. In front the old male is bare
and black, looking very much like coarse
leather polished with stove-polish, but
his back, the top of his head, the back
of his arm, and his legs entire are COW
cred with coarse, long, dark-brown hair.
His face seems to be of the same quality
of leather as his front and is of the shape
of an ordinary plate, with protuber-
ance occupying the lower segment for
the muzzle, which is split by long
mouth. The nose consists of two minute
holes just over the top of the muzzle;
the nostrils being thinner and smaller
than a child's. The eyes are near the
top of the plate and are small and black,
with scarcely any lids, no lashes, and nc
brow. The skull is very small and
round, being apparently rudimentary
head growing out of the top of the back,
the very small ears being at the junction
of the two, where a neck should be.
There are no nails on the big toes of any
of the animals, but on all the other toes
and on the thumbs and fingers there are
black nails, in shape almost exactly like
those of human beings.
To the left of the head of the family is
another male, weighing about one hun
dred pounds, and presenting number
of differences in appearances. The hair
is redish and eighteen inches in length,
covering him with the warmest of coats
Two fingers and two toes of this male
were missing when he was killed. This
is explained by the hunter who killed
him to have been the result of fights
with other males, the plan of warfare
of the species being to keep biting off
an adversary's toes and fingers until he
runs away. OF course, liter the loss of
a greater portion of his fingers and toes
an orang-outang would starve to death,
for his food is obtained entirely by
climbing and his entire life in spent in
trees. In front, at the right hand cor
ner, there is young female in nest of
leaves, showing how the species sleep,
her eyes closed and her hands and feet
tightly grasping four limbs of a tree.
If the nest should give way she would
still hang. She weighs only about sixty
pounds, and her hair is lighter than that
of either of the others mentioned, and,
though longer than that of the old male,
is not so long as that of the hundred
FOUNDER. 1t covers the entire body and
limbs. Another female, weighing about
seventy-five pounds, is at the opposite
corner. She is hanging by one hand
from limb, while in the other she holds
a large green fruit which, with mouth
wide open, she is ready to eat. The
mouth is enormous, and the teeth are
the same in number as in man, but the
incisors and CANNES are very large. The
last and least of the group is gazing
down from the top of the highest limb
He weighs about five pounds, and when
killed was two months old. He is COW
cred with light red hair and his face
and head look more like those of hui
man being than any of the others. Be-
ginning with this little fellow and going
through to the oldest, there is distinct
decline in the resemblance to human
beings, the old male, with his plate-like
face and almost invisible head, seeming
altogether brute. Though very strong
and very formidable when in close quar-
tiers, the orang-outang is timid, and in
captivity grave, melancholy, mild, and
affectionate. He is initiative and intel
ligent, and will soon eat or drink any
thing man eats or drinks before them,
including ardent spirits, of which he be-
comes passionately fond.-N. Y. World.
OF the Presidents of the limited StatoS