THE CAPE BABOON OR BAVIAN 



(Papio porcarius) 



Also known as the Chacma, which is a corruption of the 

 Hottentot word T'chatikamma ; Infene of Amaxosa 

 {Stanford) ; Imfena of Swazis and Zulus : Tshweni of 

 Basutos {Kir by). 



The Cape Baboon or Bavian inhabits the whole of 

 South Africa from the Cape to the Zambesi. 

 Unlike all the species of monkeys of the Vervet 

 tribe which are strictly arboreal, the baboon is an 

 inhabitant of the krantzes and bare stony hills ; and 

 although it can climb trees with facility, yet it 

 seldom does so except when seeking food in the shape 

 of wild fruit, berries, seeds, tender leaves, flowers, 

 and the gum which exudes from the branches of 

 trees ; or when doing sentry duty for the troop. 

 However, when krantzes are few, or not steep enough 

 to aiford a secure retreat at night, it sleeps aloft in 

 tall trees. The Cape Baboon associates in troops 

 of from a dozen or so to a hundred or more indi- 

 viduals. They are expert rock climbers, and it is 

 truly a marvellous sight to observe a troop of these 

 ungainly-looking animals scaling a perpendicular 



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