56 QUADRUMANA. 



in vain, and when their words were unheeded, veiled their faces and left 

 the godless town. Three days afterward they returned. They found 

 the gates shut, but clambered over the walls, when they found them- 

 selves surrounded by baboons, some of which came to them with sad 

 looks, and fawned upon them with a piteous and imploring expression 

 of countenance. The returned natives thought that these baboons, 

 which seemed to recognize them, might be some of their kinsfolk; and 

 when they asked, ' Baboon, tell me, are you Abraham, my brother's son, 

 or my cousin Moses or Achmed ? ' the creatures sadly nodded an affirm- 

 ative reply." 



The first species, Cynocephalus babuin, (Plate II) possesses the name of 

 Baboon par excellence, and presents characteristics that are typical of the 

 entire race. There is great uncertainty about the precise differences 

 between the several species, as travelers too often use the term Baboon 

 to designate not only this species, but also the Chacma and the Sphinx. 

 All of them have very similar modes of action and habits. The baboon 

 has smooth, even, short hair, of an olive-green, each hair tinged alter- 

 nately with black and yellow, lighter in color on the belly, and a whitish- 

 yellow on the cheeks. The face and ears are bluish-gray, the upper 

 eyelids whitish, the hands gray, the eyes light-brown. They grow to the 

 height of two feet, or two and a half measured from the shoulder to the 

 ground, and a total length, including one-third tail, of nearly five feet. 



The baboon abounds in Africa, and annoys the natives, especially the 

 women, who go to get water. In their rocky fastnesses their chief foe is 

 the leopard, of whom they are in great dread. Yet this animal never 

 attacks cither a band of baboons or even an adult, but confines its 

 exertions to slyly stealing the young ones. 



Bold as are these monkeys, they will not dare to follow a leopard into 

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

 their outposts, it may carry off its prey with impunity. The constant 

 dread which the leopard seems to excite in a baboon's mind appears to 

 be occasioned by the stealthy craft and the persevering aggression of 

 the animal, rather than by its physical powers alone. He is easily tamed, 

 and becomes accustomed to man and most devoted to his master, soon 

 recognizing any name given to him. He readily drinks wine or brandy, 

 but rejects spirituous liquors. 



A very quaint story is told of the same animal, which, if true, exhibits 

 the strangest combination of cunning, simplicity, and ready wit, that 



