240 THE STORY OF THE MONKEY. 



They are found over the whole of Africa; but, as is so generally the case, 

 are represented by a greater variety on the west coast than elsewhere, and 

 it is also in that region that the most hideous representatives of the group 

 are to be found. 



While agreeing with the gelada baboon in the great length of their 

 snouts, the true baboons are readily distinguished by the nostrils being 

 placed at the very extremity of their snout; indeed, in the Arabian baboon 

 they actually project slightly beyond the upper lip, as is the case in most 

 dogs. This canine form of countenance led the ancient Greeks and Romans 

 to apply the name dog-headed to these animals. This great prolongation 

 of the snout shows that the baboons are the lowest of the Old World 

 monkeys, and they bear the most marked signs of relationship with the 

 inferior orders of mammals. 



In addition to their long snouts, baboons are likewise distinguished by 

 the large proportionate size of their skulls, this being most markedly the 

 case with some of the West African forms. Moreover, the bones forming 

 the upper jaws are greatly inflated, so as to give a swollen look tO' this part 

 of the face in some of the species. They may also carry prominent oblique 

 ridges, which form the support for the peculiar fleshy tumor-like structures 

 occurring in certain West African examples. 



In all the baboons the callous places on the buttocks are unusually large, 

 and may be very brightly colored. The tail is never very long, and often 

 very short. The arms and legs, or, as they may be better termed, fore- and 

 hind-legs, are nearly equal in length, and are thus far better adapted for pro- 

 gress on the ground than for climbing. Indeed none of the baboons 

 appear to be adepts at climbing, and many of them pass almost their 

 whole time on the ground. Several species of this group show an especial 

 predilection for rocky ground, and are accustomed to go in large troops — 

 this association being probably necessary for defence against the attacks 

 of leopards and other flesh eating animals. 



Their defence does not, however, rest solely on the strength of numbers; 

 for the male baboons, wdiich are considerably superior in size and strength 

 to their consorts, are armed with tusks of the most formidable dimensions. 

 Indeed, a bite from one of these animals must be almost, if not quite, as 

 severe and dangerous as a leopard's; and there are instances on record where 

 leopards have been successfully attacked and mastered by a few old male 

 baboons. 



The mandrill, which is the most conspicuous of the baboon tribe, is a 



