THE BABOONS. 



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Leopard at defiance, and when in a large body, they do not, 

 it is said, fear the Lion." 



"Baboons often show their passion," as Mr. Darwin has 

 related, "and threaten their enemies in a very odd manner, 

 namely, by opening their mouths widely, as in the act of 

 yawning. Mr. Bartlett has often seen two Baboons, when first 

 placed in the same compartment, sitting opposite to each other, 

 and then alternately opening their mouths; and this action 

 seems frequently to end in a real yawn. Mr. Bartlett believes 

 that both animals wish to show to each other that they are 

 provided with a formidable set of teeth, as is undoubtedly the 

 case. As I could hardly credit the reality of this yawning 

 gesture, Mr. Bartlett insulted an old Baboon and put him 

 into a violent passion ; and he almost immediately thus acted. 



. . Baboons likewise show their anger, as was observed 

 by Brehm with those which he kept alive in Abyssinia, in 

 another manner, namely, by striking the ground with one hand, 

 * like an angry man striking the table with his fist.' I have 

 seen this movement with the Baboons in the Zoological 

 Gardens ; but sometimes the action seems rather to represent 

 the searching for a stone or other object in their beds of straw. 

 . . . With several species of Baboons, the ridge of the fore- 

 head projects much over the eyes, and is studded with a few 

 long hairs, representing our eyebrows. These animals are 

 always looking about them, and in order to look upwards they 

 raise their eyebrows. They have thus, as it would appear, 

 acquired the habit of frequently moving the latter. However 

 this may be, many kinds of Monkeys, especially the Baboons, 

 when angered, or in any way excited, rapidly and incessantly 

 move their eyebrows up and down, as well as the hairy skin of 

 their foreheads." 



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