THE CAPE BABOON OR BAVIAN 



to begin operations, he found that nearly every loose 

 stone on the hillside had recently been turned over, 

 and went off highly disgusted, thinking that a rival 

 coleopterist had forestalled him. 



Baboons are exceedingly fond of honey, and the 

 larvas or bee grubs in the comb, and will risk getting 

 stung by the angry bees to obtain this much-coveted 

 dainty. Should a bees' nest be located in the hollow 

 interior of an old branch, tree trunk, or in a hole in the 

 ground or rock crevice, an opening large enough for 

 the withdrawal of the comb is made by scratching 

 with the finger-nails. The arm is then thrust in, a 

 piece of comb pulled out, and the robber makes off, 

 dragging the honeycomb through the foliage as he 

 runs, or rubbing it on the grass to dislodge any bees 

 which might be clinging to it. Plunging into the 

 thick scrub where the infuriated bees cannot follow, 

 he devours the choice morsel at his leisure. When 

 the bees have calmed down, he makes a second rush, 

 dives his hand into the hole, grabs another lump of 

 comb, and again bolts for shelter. When the 

 comb contains bee grubs, these are extracted 

 from their cells with the finger and thumb, one by 

 one, in a most deliberate and painstaking manner. 

 These attacks on bee-hives are usually carried out 

 early in the morning before sunrise when the air 

 is chilly and the bees, in consequence, more or less 

 lethargic. Except in those districts where the 

 rainfall is regular and abundant, the natural diet 

 of the baboon is none too plentiful, and these 



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