THE COMMON BABOON. 



anything but an agreeable one, and its labours are equally divided among the 

 community, each competent member taking that task upon himself in his own 



tlUTl. 



When they make an attack upon a field or a plantation, they always guard 

 against sur})rise by posting sentries on elevated spots, and, knowing that due 

 notice will be given it' any suspicious object be seen or heard, they devote all their 

 energies to the congenial business of theft, while the sentries remain at their posts, 

 never daring to withdraw their attention from the imj)ortant charge which is 

 committed to them. However, the sentinels do not entirely lose the benefit of all 

 the good things, but take their proper share of the spoil after the thievish band 

 lias returned to a ])lace of safety ; so that their greatest trial is an exercise of 

 patience of rather a prolonged character. 



In their rocky fastnesses, their chief foe is the leo})ard, and so terrified are they at 

 the very sound of their enemy's voice, that even a very poor imitation of a growl 

 is sufficient to set them fiying off" as fast as their legs can carry them, while a 

 breath of air that bears upon its wings the least taint of rank odour which exhales 

 so powerfully from the large Felida', scatters dire consternation among the 

 assemblage. There is a story of a life saved by means of the ingenuity of a native 

 servant, who, seeing his master beset by a party of angry baboons, quietly stepped 

 behind a rock, and iiuitatcd the growl of a leopard with that startling fidelity that 

 is so general an accomplishment among savage tribes. 



The leopard seldom attacks an adult balloon, not caring to risk its claws 

 and fangs against the hands and teeth of so ])owerful an opponent. Much 

 less does it openly ventiue to assault a band of baboons in hopes of 

 securing one of their number. Its mode of procedure is by slily creeping 

 round their rocky domains, and whipping oft' one of the young baboons 

 before an alarm is given. 



Bold as are these animals, they will not dare to follow a leo})ard into its 

 den ; so that, if their dreaded foe succeeds in once getting clear of their 

 outposts, it may caiTy ott' its prey with im})unity. The constant dread 

 which the leopard seems to excite in the baboon's mind aj)pears to be 

 occasioned more by the stealthy craft and persevering aggression of the 

 animal, rather than by its physical powers alone. 



