THE GREAT RIBBED-NOSE BABOON. 169 



inches long ; its height, when standing upright, from four to five 

 feet. Its head is large ; and its shoulders, which are of an 

 amazing thickness, indicate its prodigious strength : its eyes are 

 small, and deeply sunk ; its teeth are large and formidable ; and 

 in each cheek it has a pouch, into which, when satiated with 

 eating, it puts the remainder of its food. Its body is covered 

 with hair of a light reddish brown ; that on the head is long : 

 the buttocks are generally of a red colour, and naked. 



This animal is of so ferocious a disposition, that neither art 

 nor caresses can render it docile or tractable : it is not, however, 

 carnivorous, but feeds entirely on roots, fruits, and other vegeta- 

 bles. It inhabits the hottest parts of Africa ; and numerous 

 troops sometimes enter the cultivated parts, and plunder the 

 gardens and fields. 



One of these animals, seen by Mr. Pennant, at Chester, was 

 of surprising strength, and extremely fierce ; it went on all-fours, 

 and never stood erect unless compelled by its keeper, but would 

 frequently sit on its rump in a crouching attitude, with its arms 

 crossed before the belly. It was particularly fond of cheese and 

 wheat ; and whenever any ears of the latter were given to it, it 

 dexterously picked out the grains with its teeth, and ate them. 

 Its voice was a kind of roar, somewhat like that of a lion, except 

 that it was low, and rather inward. This species is remarkably 

 fond of eggs ; and one of them has been known to put eight into 

 his pouches at once ; then, taking them out singly, he broke 

 them at the end, and swallowed their contents in the most delib- 

 erate manner. 



THE GREAT RIBBED-NOSE BABOON, 



Like that which has just been described, is a native of Africa, 

 and inhabits only the hottest parts of that continent. This ani- 

 mal is not less remarkable for its strength and size, than for the 

 variegated beauty of its colours. Its nose is marked on each 

 side with broad ribs, of a fine violet colour ; a line of vermilion 

 runs from above the eyes, on each side of the nose, and meets 

 on the tip. The inside of the ears is blue, and the outside ver- 

 milion ; the rump is also of a vermilion colour ; and the beautiful 

 shades on the hips are gradations from red to blue. The back 

 and legs are dark brown, mixed with yellow : the breast and belly 

 are white, and spangled with small dark spots ; its beard is dark 

 at the roots, orange at the middle, and yellow at the end : the 

 hair on the forehead is long, and turns back in the form of a 

 crest : its tail is short and hairy, and its hands and feet black 

 and naked. 



Of this kind of animals, naturalists enumerate a great many 

 varieties among which are the small ribbed-nose baboon, and the 



P 



