THE MANDRILL. 77 
who are also comparatively free from the revolting habits that are so unfortunately found 
in the adult males. 
There are several instances on record of Mandrills which have led a peaceful life in 
captivity, and learned many accomplishments—some, perhaps, rather of a dubious 
nature. 
One of the most celebrated of these individuals, surnamed “Happy Jerry,” on 
account of his contented disposition, was a well-known inhabitant of the menagerie at 
Exeter Change during his lifetime ; and, even after his death, is still before the public who 
visit the British Museum. 
He was accustomed to drink porter, which he liked, and to smoke a pipe, which he 
tolerated. He had the honour of being a royal guest, by special invitation, and seems to 
have passed a life as happy as could well fall to the lot of an expatriated animal. 
There are several allusions to this baboon by ancient writers, although they seem to 
have been very undecided about the real character of the animal. 
Topsel gives a really good illustration of the Mandrill, placing it among the hyznas, 
because preceding writers had done so. However, his own penetrative mind refused ie 
accept this opinion, and after saying that it might be the Artocyon, a beast which was 
supposed to be the offspring of bear and dog, diffidently puts forward his own idea on 
the subject, which is the correct one, as is usual when men will venture to think boldly 
for themselves, and shake off the trammels of conventional prejudice. 
“ His fore-feet,” says Topsel, “are divided like a man’s fingers. It continually holdeth 
up his tail, for at every motion it turneth that as other beasts do their head. It hath a 
short tail, and but for that I should judge it to be a kind of ape.” Many of the traits 
recorded by the same author are precisely applicable to the Mandrill, although, as he 
thought, that it ought to be a hyzena, he has intermixed with his account a few truly 
hyenine anecdotes. 
His name for it is, “The Second Kinde of Hyzena, called Papio, or Dabuh.” 
In its native land, the usual food of the Mandrill is of a vegetable nature, although, in 
common with the rest of the baboons, it displays a great liking for ants, centipedes, and 
similar creatures. 
Sometimes it happens that it takes a carnivorous turn, and then will capture and 
devour small birds, quadrupeds, and reptiles. In captivity it 1s tolerably carnivorous, its 
tastes being sufficiently universal to accommodate itself to strong drink, as well as to 
civilized fare. Meat of all kinds seems acceptable to the animal, as does beer and 
wine. Tobacco, as we have seen, it can endure, but hardly appreciate. 
It drinks by shooting forward its mobile lips into the vessel, and drawing the liquid 
into its mouth by suction. 
When it eats, it generally commences its repast by filling its pouches with food in 
readiness for another meal, and unless very severely pressed by hunger, never neglects this 
precaution. 
The tail of this animal is a remarkable feature, if it may so be termed, in the general 
aspect of the baboon. It is short, set high on the back, and curved upwards in a manner 
that is most singular, not to say ludicrous, in the living animals, and conspicuously notice- 
able in the skeleton. The skull of an adult Mandrill is most brutal in character. The 
brain has but little place in the cranium, and the greater part of the surface is either com- 
posed of, or covered with, heavy ridges of solid bone that are formed for the support of the 
large muscles which move the jaws. 
The eyes are placed extremely high in the face, leaving hardly any forehead above 
them, and they are deeply set beneath a pair of morosely overhanging brows. The hair on 
the head is rather peculiar in its arrangement, forming a kind “of “pointed crest on the 
crown, and thus giving an almost triangular outline to the head. 
It is a very common animal in its own country, but on account of its great strength, 
cunning, and ferocity, is not so often captured as might be expected. Even when a 
specimen is made prisoner, it is generally a very young one, which soon loses in captivity 
the individuality of its being ,and learns to accommodate itself to the altered circumstances 
among which it is placed. 
