NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



and legs outspread and tail straight out behind, a 

 distance of twenty feet or more into the top of a 

 smaller tree on the opposite bank. It was a most 

 interesting sight to see them leaping so gracefully, 

 and with such apparent ease. 



The chief enemies of Vervet ^lonkeys are leo- 

 pards, caracals, servals, pythons, and the larger 

 eagles, such as the Martial Eagle (Eutolmcetus 

 bdlicostts). Crowned Hawk-Eagle (Spizatus coronatus), 

 Verreaux's Eagle (Aquila verreauxi), African Hawk- 

 Eagle (Eutolm&tus spilogaster). 



The affection of the mother monkey for her baby 

 is so great that it dominates her completely. When 

 danger threatens she quite forgets herself in her 

 anxiety for the safety of her helpless offspring. I 

 was with a Dutch farmer friend in Natal one day, 

 when we happened to surprise some monkeys in the 

 orchard. They sprang in haste to the ground, and 

 made off to the adjacent thorny thicket. The dogs 

 gave chase, and a female with a rather heavy young- 

 ster in her arms, could not keep pace with the rest, 

 and realising that it was impossible to reach the 

 safety of the thicket in time, sprang up an isolated 

 tree, and in a moment the dogs were howling at her 

 from below. I tried to dissuade my friend from 

 shooting at her, but he was so exasperated by the 

 damage wrought by these monkeys from time to 

 time, that he raised his gun and fired. Seeing 

 him in the act of firing, the mother monkey swung 

 round, placing her body between the gun and her 

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