PARENTAL AFFECTION. 295 



occasionally find the breath of their offspring 

 militates very strongly against their treating them 

 with that affection which they otherwise would do. 

 Moreover, baboons are exceedingly fond of eating 

 centipedes and scorpions ; for this eccentricity nobody 

 can blame them, for, after all, both have a strong 

 resemblance to shrimps, and we all know how 

 popular tea and shrimps are at Greenwich. I have 

 said a great deal about the ordinary habits of baboons. 

 I have compared them with human beings, to whom 

 they might feel offended at being compared, and I can 

 confidently state that no pluckier brute ever was born. 

 On one occasion, when in the vicinity of 

 Harrismith, in the Orange Free State, I surprised 

 a number of baboons I would not do so now, but 

 I did so then viz., hied on to them half-a-dozen grey- 

 hounds, that were at my heels ; the whole party 

 of baboons fled, but one youngster seemed in- 

 capable of keeping his place among his seniors, and 

 was overtaken by my dogs. Rapidly this victim 

 would have been destroyed, but a couple of the 

 patriarchs of the drove turned back and fought such 

 a gallant battle that they actually repulsed the enemy, 

 although three to one against them. 



