The Forelegs Were Also
Bordered By A Membrane, And The Body Was Capable Of Considerable
Inflation.
The back and limbs were of a very deep shining green
colour, the undersurface and the inner toes yellow, while the
webs were black, rayed with yellow.
The body was about four
inches long, while the webs of each hind foot, when fully
expanded, covered a surface of four square inches, and the webs
of all the feet together about twelve square inches. As the
extremities of the toes have dilated discs for adhesion, showing
the creature to be a true tree frog, it is difficult to imagine
that this immense membrane of the toes can be for the purpose of
swimming only, and the account of the Chinaman, that it flew down
from the tree, becomes more credible. This is, I believe, the
first instance known of a "flying frog," and it is very
interesting to Darwinians as showing that the variability of the
toes which have been already modified for purposes of swimming
and adhesive climbing, have been taken advantage of to enable an
allied species to pass through the air like the flying lizard. It
would appear to be a new species of the genus Rhacophorus, which
consists of several frogs of a much smaller size than this, and
having the webs of the toes less developed.
During my stay in Borneo I had no hunter to shoot for me
regularly, and, being myself fully occupied with insects, I did
not succeed in obtaining a very good collection of the birds or
Mammalia, many of which, however, are well known, being identical
with species found in Malacca. Among the Mammalia were five
squirrels,and two tigercats - the Gymnurus Rafesii, which looks
like a cross between a pig and a polecat, and the Cynogale
Bennetti - a rare, otter-like animal, with very broad muzzle
clothed with long bristles.
One of my chief objects in coming to stay at Simunjon was to see
the Orangutan (or great man-like ape of Borneo) in his native
haunts, to study his habits, and obtain good specimens of the
different varieties and species of both sexes, and of the adult
and young animals. In all these objects I succeeded beyond my
expectations, and will now give some account of my experience in
hunting the Orangutan, or "Mias," as it is called by the natives;
and as this name is short, and easily pronounced, I shall
generally use it in preference to Simia satyrus, or Orangutan.
Just a week after my arrival at the mines, I first saw a Mias. I
was out collecting insects, not more than a quarter of a mile
from the house, when I heard a rustling in a tree near, and,
looking up, saw a large red-haired animal moving slowly along,
hanging from the branches by its arms. It passed on from tree to
tree until it was lost in the jungle, which was so swampy that I
could not follow it. This mode of progression was, however, very
unusual, and is more characteristic of the Hylobates than of the
Orang. I suppose there was some individual peculiarity in this
animal, or the nature of the trees just in this place rendered it
the most easy mode of progression.
About a fortnight afterwards I heard that one was feeding in a
tree in the swamp just below the house, and, taking my gun, was
fortunate enough to find it in the same place. As soon as I
approached, it tried to conceal itself among the foliage; but, I
got a shot at it, and the second barrel caused it to fall down
almost dead, the two balls having entered the body. This was a
male, about half-grown, being scarcely three feet high. On April
26th, I was out shooting with two Dyaks, when we found another
about the same size. It fell at the first shot, but did not seem
much hurt, and immediately climbed up the nearest tree, when I
fired, and it again fell, with a broken arm and a wound in the
body. The two Dyaks now ran up to it, and each seized hold of a
hand, telling me to cut a pole, and they would secure it. But
although one arm was broken and it was only a half-grown animal,
it was too strong for these young savages, drawing them up
towards its mouth notwithstanding all their efforts, so that they
were again obliged to leave go, or they would have been seriously
bitten. It now began climbing up the tree again; and, to avoid
trouble, I shot it through the heart.
On May 2nd, I again found one on a very high tree, when I had
only a small 80-bore gun with me. However, I fired at it, and on
seeing me it began howling in a strange voice like a cough, and
seemed in a great rage, breaking off branches with its hands and
throwing them down, and then soon made off over the tree-tops. I
did not care to follow it, as it was swampy, and in parts
dangerous, and I might easily have lost myself in the eagerness
of pursuit.
On the 12th of May I found another, which behaved in a very
similar manner, howling and hooting with rage, and throwing down
branches. I shot at it five times, and it remained dead on the
top of the tree, supported in a fork in such a manner that it
would evidently not fall. I therefore returned home, and luckily
found some Dyaks, who came back with me, and climbed up the tree
for the animal. This was the first full-grown specimen I had
obtained; but it was a female, and not nearly so large or
remarkable as the full-grown males. It was, however, 3 ft. 6 in.
high, and its arms stretched out to a width of 6 ft. 6 in. I
preserved the skin of this specimen in a cask of arrack,
andprepared a perfect skeleton, which was afterwards purchased
for the Derby Museum.
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