on the contrary, hair, in the dogs of the polar region, where the cold is intense, is turned into wool. To which also may be referred what naturalists have remarked, that bears, wolves, foxes, and hares, which do not take the water, have the fur much thicker on the back than the belly: whereas in the beaver it is the thickest upon the belly, as also are the feathers in water-fowl.-We know the final cause of all this, that the all-wise Creator has adapted each animal to the life for which he designed him, and this in a manner which must excite our wonder and admiration.

The covering of birds cannot escape the most vulgar observation; its lightness, its smoothness, its warmth, its singular beauty. The disposition of the feathers, all inclined backward, the down about their stem, the overlapping of their tips, their different configuration in different parts, not to mention the variety of their colours, constitute а vestment for the body, so beautiful, and so appropriate to the life which the animal is to lead, as that I think we should have had no conception of any thing equally perfect, if we had never seen it; nor can now imagine any thing more so.

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The Ourn-Outang.

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THE ape, called the Ouran-Outang, ap proaches in external appearance nearer the human form, than any other brute; and from this circumstance, it has sometimes obtained the appellation of "Man of the Woods." This animal is of different sizes, from three to seven feet. In general, its stature is less than that of a man; but its strength and agility are much greater. Travellers who have seen various kinds of these animals, in their native solitudes, give surprising relations of their force, their swift. ness, their address, and their ferocity. They are found in many parts of Africa, in the East-Indies, in Madagascar, and Borneo. In the last of these places, the people of quality course them as we do the stag; and this sort of hunting is one of the favourite amusements of the king himself. The skin of the OuranOutang is hairy, his eyes are sunk in his head, his countenance is stern, and all his lineaments, though resembling those of man, are harsh and blackened by the sun. He sleeps under trees, and builds a hut to protect himself against the sun and the rains. When the negroes have left a fire in the woods, he comes near, and warms himself by the blaze. He has not, however, sense and skill sufficient to keep the flame alive by feeding

it with fuel. These animals often go together in companies; and if they happen to meet one of the human species, remote from succour, they seldom show him favour. Sometimes, however, they spare those that fall into their hands. A negro boy was carried off by one of them, and lived with them upwards of a year. On his escape and return home, he described many of them as being larger than men; and he said that they never attempted to injure him. They frequently attack the elephant; they beat him with clubs, and oblige him to leave that part of the forest which they claim as their own. -When one of these animals dies, the rest cover the body with leaves and branches.

The manners of the Ouran-Outang, when in confinement, are gentle, and, for the most part, harmless, perfectly devoid of that disgusting ferocity, so conspicuous in some of the larger baboons and monkeys. It is mild and docile, and may be taught to perform, with dexterity, a variety of entertaining actions. Vosmaers account of one of these animals, which was brought into Holland in the year 1776, and lodged in the menagerie of the prince of Orange, is so exceedingly curious, that we shall present the reader with an extract from it.

"This animal shewed no symptoms of fierceness and malignity. It was fond of

being in company, and appeared to be very sensible of the kindness of those who had the care of it. Often, when they retired, it would throw itself on the ground, as if in despair, uttering lamentable, cries, and tearing in pieces the linen within its reach.

Its keeper having been accustomed to sit near it on the ground, it frequently took the hay off its bed, and laid it by its side, and seemed by all its actions to invite him to be seated nearer. Its usual manner of walking was on all-fours, but it could also walk on its hind-feet only. It eat almost every thing that was given to it, but its chief food was bread, roots, and all sorts of fruits, especially strawberries. 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 particularly Malaga. After drinking. it wiped its lips; and after eating, if presented with a toothpick, it would use it in a proper manner. On shipboard, it ran freely about the vessel, played with the sailors, and went, like them, into the kitchen for its mess. At the approach of night, it lay down to sleep, and prepared its bed, by shaking well the hay on which it slept, and putting it in pro

per order. It would then carefully draw up the coverlet. This animal lived only seven months after it had been brought into Holland."

The Ouran-Outang, described by Buffon, exhibited a still greater degree of sagacity. It walked upon two legs, even when it carried burdens. Its air was melancholy, and its deportment grave. Unlike the baboon and the monkey, whose motions are violent, and appetites capricious, whose fondness for mischief is remarkable, and whose obedience proceeds only from fear, this animal was slow in its motions, and a look was sufficient to keep it in awe. "I have seen it," says Buffon, "give its hand to show the company to the door; I have seen it sit at table, unfold its napkin, wipe its lips, make use of the spoon and the fork to carry vietuals to its mouth; pour out its drink into a glass, and touch glasses when invited; take a cup and saucer, lay them on the table, put in sugar, pour out its tea, leave, it to cool, and then drink it. All this it would do, without any other instigation than the signs or commands of its master, and often of its own accord. It was gentle and inoffensive: it even approached strangers with respect; and came rather to receive caresses than to offer injuries. It was particularly fond of comfits, which every body was ready to give it; but as it had a defluxion upon the breast, se