BABOONS. 



'35 



friends, travelling on horseback, came upon a number of baboons sitting in solemn 

 parliament on some rocks. He cantered towards them, anticipating seeing the 

 ungainly beasts take to their heels in grotesque panic ; but was somewhat taken 

 aback on finding that, far from being intimidated by his approach, they refused to 

 move, and sat waiting for him, regarding him the while with ominous calmness. 

 The canter subsided into a trot, and the trot into a sedate walk, and still they sat 

 there ; and so defiant was the expression on each ugly face that at last the intruder 

 thought it wisest to turn back and ride ignominiously away." 



The most general food of the chacma is afforded by the bulbous roots of an 

 iris-like plant, known as ixia, of which there are several South African varieties, 

 one of which is specially known as the baboon's ixia. These bulbs the chacmas dig 

 up with their strong hands, and carefully peel before eating. Other kinds of 

 bulbous and tuberous roots are also eaten by these animals ; while buds and young 

 twigs form a less important part of their food. In addition to this vegetable diet, 

 the chacmas also search for and devour various kinds of insects and allied animals, 

 such as locusts and scorpions ; the latter being carefully deprived of their stings 

 before being consumed. Lizards and frogs are dainties less commonly eaten ; while 

 birds' eggs, together with various worms and grubs practically complete the 

 chacma's bill of fare. 



These baboons are well represented in all menageries, where they thrive well 

 When young they are fairly tractable, but their temper steadily deteriorates with 

 advancing age. 



THE ANUBIS BABOON (Cynocephalus anubis). 



Although there existed for a long period much uncertainty as to their true 

 habitat, it is now definitely known that the whole of the five species of baboons 

 remaining for consideration are, with one exception, confined to the western side 

 of Africa, and are therefore compatriots of the chimpanzee and the gorilla. It is 

 probable, indeed, as we have already mentioned, that it was one of the short-tailed 

 kinds that was met with in Hanno's voyage. 



The anubis baboon, together with the two following species, may be readily 

 distinguished from the chacma by the circumstance that the hairy parts of the 

 hands and feet are of the same colour as the hair of the back, instead of being 

 black. The general colour of the present species is olive-green, whence it is some- 

 times known as the olive baboon. There is a small crest on the nape of the neck ; 

 and the hairs are grey near the roots, and ringed with black and yellow at the tips. 

 The habits of these baboons appear to be much the same as those 

 of the other species of the genus. They go in troops, and inhabit 

 rocky mountainous regions, being especially common at a place some two hundred 

 miles in the interior of Angola, known as the Black Rocks. Away from the river- 

 valleys the country is arid in the extreme, and it is these thirsty districts which 

 are the chosen abode of the baboons. Here they subsist largely on that very 

 remarkable kind of West African plant known as the welwitschia. So remarkable 

 is this plant, that we may venture to briefly describe it. The welwitschia is a 

 plant which in its earlier stages of growth consists of the two ordinary seed-leaves. 

 These appear to grow considerably, and extend horizontally outwards in opposite 



