! 



OF WILD ANIMALS 243 



couragement and protest. It was quite as courageous and 

 heroic as the act of a father who rushes into a burning building 

 to save his child, at the imminent risk of his own life. 



The animal world has its full share of heroes. Also, it has 

 its complement of pugilists and bullies, its cowards and its 

 assassins. 



Few indeed are the wild creatures that fight gratuitously, 

 or attack other animals without cause. If a fight occurs, look 

 for the motive. The wild creatures know that peace promotes 

 happiness and long life. Now, of all wild quadrupeds, it is 

 probable that the African baboons are pound for pound the 

 most pugnacious, and the quickest on the draw. The old male 

 baboon in his prime will fight anything that threatens his troop, 

 literally at the drop of a hat. But there is method in his 

 madness. He and his wives and children dwell on the ground in 

 lands literally reeking with fangs and claws. He has to confront 

 the lion, leopard, wild dog and hyena, and make good his right 

 to live. No wonder, then, that his temper is hot, his voice 

 raucous and blood-curdling; his canines fearfully long and 

 sharp, and his savage yell of warning sufficient to keep even 

 the king of beasts off his grass. 



Once I saw two baboons fight. We had two huge and 

 splendid adult male gelada baboons, from Abyssinia. They 

 were kept separate, but in adjoining cages; and the time came 

 when we needed one of those cages for another distinguished 

 arrival. We decided to try the rather hazardous experiment 

 of herding those two geladas together. 



Accordingly, we first opened the doors to both outside cages, 

 to afford for the moment a free circulation of baboons, and then 

 we opened the partition door. Instantly the two animals 

 rushed together in raging combat. With a fierce grip each 

 seized the other by the left cheek; and then began a baboon cy- 

 clone. They spun around on their axis, they rolled over and 

 over on the floor, and they waltzed in speechless rage over every 

 foot of those two cages. Strange to say, beyond coughing and 



