-popular HBtrtt'flnarji at &mmatftt Mature. 45 



conformation, as seen in the Orang-outang, 

 &c., are in their habits, propensities, and 

 dispositions, the very reverse of gentleness 

 and docility. In Apes and other quadru- 

 mana which have the head and face round, 

 the nose is flat, and the nostrils are situated 

 about half-way between the mouth and the 

 eyes ; but in the Baboon this organ is pro- 

 longed uniformly with the jaws, and the 

 nostrils open at the end of it exactly as in 

 the dog. In short, the most distinctive pecu- 

 liarity of the genus is the marked resem- 

 blance which the head and face of these 

 animals bear to a large dog. They have, 

 moreover, long and truncate muzzles, cheek 

 pouches, tails, and sharp claws. Yet, not- 

 withstanding this close approximation to 

 the shape of the dog's head, the form and 

 position of the eyes, combined with the simi- 

 larity of the arms and hands, give to these 

 creatures a resemblance to humanity as 

 striking as it is humbling and diigBrttng. 



Formed for strength, furnished with dan- 

 gerous natural weapons, and being wild, 

 restless, and impetuous, this animal, in its 

 native haunts, proves itself to be one of the 

 most formidable of the savage race ; nor can 

 it be restrained, even when in confinement, 

 any longer than coercion is continued : al- 

 lowed to have its own will, its savage nature 

 gtiins the ascendancy, and its actions are 

 gratuitously cruel, mischievous, and destruc- 

 tive. But there is nothing so revolting as 

 their lascivious habits, which they indulge to 

 such a degree that it is unsafe and highly 

 improper for females to visit exhibitions of 

 animals where these beasts form a part of 

 the number. 



In their native haunts they subsist on roots 

 and berries, and partly on eggs, insects, and 

 scorpions ; but in cultivated districts they 

 make incursions into the fields and gardens, 

 where they commit the greatest depredations 

 on the fruit and grain. They congregate in 

 troops, and are bold and skilful in their pre- 

 datory excursions, maintaining their ground 

 even against large parties of men ; and it is 

 remarked that " a troop of them will some- 

 times form a long chain, extending from the 

 vicinity of their ordinary habitation to the 

 garden or field which they happen to be en- 

 gaged in plundering, and that the produce 

 of their theft is pitched from hand to hand, 

 till it reaches its destination in the moun- 

 tains." 



The Baboon can never be said to be 

 thoroughly tamed, how long soever his con- 

 finement may have endured. As he ad- 

 vances in age, all his worst qualities become 

 more strongly developed, and the expression 

 of his physiognomy bears ample testimony to 

 the fierceness and brutality of his disposition. 



Having given a general description of these 

 animals, it will be only necessary to particu- 

 larise a few species where the difference 

 between them seems most to deserve notice. 



The D E R R I A S. ( Ci/nocephahis hama- 

 dryas.) This celebrated Baboon inhabits the 

 mountains of Arabia and Abyssinia, and was 

 probably the species known to the ancients, 

 and sculptured in Egvptian monuments. It 

 measures upwards of four feet when standing 



erect, and about two feet six inches in a sit- 

 ting posture. The face is extremely long, 

 and of a dirty flesh colour, with a lighter 

 ring surrounding the eyes : the head, neck, 

 shoulders, and all the fore-part of the body 

 is covered with long shaggy hair ; that on 

 the hips, thighs, and legs having the ap- 

 pearance of being clipped. The hair of the 

 head and neck forms a long mane, which 

 falls back over the shoulders ; and the 

 whiskers are broad, and directed backwards 

 so as to cover the ears. The general colour 

 of the hair is a mixture of light grey and 

 cinereous : a dark brown line passes down 

 the middle of the back ; and the tail is ter- 

 minated by a brown tuft of long hair : the 

 callosities are large, and of a dark flesh co- 

 lour : the hands are almost jet black ; and 

 the feet arc rusty brown. The female when 

 full grown is as large as the male, but is des- 

 titute of a mane, and the hair of the body is 

 short and of a uniform deep olive-brown 

 colour. The Derrias while young is gentle 

 and playful, but as soon as it has arrived at a 

 mature age it becomes sulky and malicious. 



The CHACMA or PIG-FACED BA- 

 BOON ( Cynoccphalus porcaruw) is equal in 

 size, and much superior iu strength, to a 

 common English mastiff. It inhabits the 

 mountains in the neighbourhood of the Cape 

 of Good Hope, associates in families more 

 or less numerous, and occasionally levies 

 contributions on the gardens of Cape Town, 

 which it perform* in a very adroit and 



regular manner. The Chacma is of a uni- 

 form dark brown colour, mixed throughout 

 with a dark green shade, occasionally re- 

 lieved by a few hairs of a lighter hue. The 

 hair is long and shaggy, particularly on the 

 neck and shoulders of the males, where it 

 forms a distinct mane ; the face and ears are 

 naked, as are likewise the palms of the hands 

 and soles of the feet ; and the cheeks of both 

 sexes have small whiskers, directed back- 

 wards, of a greyish colour. The hands, face, 

 and ears are of a very dark violet-blue co- 

 lour ; the muzzle is extremely prolonged, 

 and the skull is contracted and flattened. It 

 is no uncommon thing for travellers, while 

 ascending the steep and dangerous moun- 

 tain passes in South Africa, to meet with 

 troops of these animals, who have been sun- 

 ning themselves on the rocks: if not at- 

 tacked, they hasten off, yelling and scream- 

 ing ; but if fired at and wounded, they no 

 sooner get out of the range of the gun than 



