136 APES AND MONKEYS. 



directions, raised but little above the surface of the sand ; whilst the intervening 

 stock thickens and hardens, assuming a somewhat conical shape, flattened at the 

 top, and rapidly tapering below into the roots. In time the original pair of seed- 

 leaves, having attained their full size, and acquired a hard and fibrous structure, 

 instead of dying, gradually split up into shreds ; at the same time the woody mass 

 upon which they are borne, although rising but little in height, increases in width 

 both above and below the insertion of the leaves, so as to clasp their bases in a 

 deep slit on the margin. Every year several short flowering stalks are developed 

 from the upper side of the base of the leaves. Each of these stalks forms an erect 

 jointed stem, dividing in a fork -like manner, varying in height from 6 to 12 

 inches, and carrying at the end of each branch a cone, with the flowers and seeds 

 beneath its scales. The result is that the country is studded with these tabular 

 or anvil-like masses of wood, whose flat tops, pitted with the scars of old flower- 

 stems, never rise to more than a foot above the ground, but vary, according 

 to age, from a few inches to upwards of 5 or 6 feet in diameter. Even those 

 which are not more than 18 inches in diameter are supposed to be fully a 

 century old, although still retaining their original seed-leaves, which, albeit torn 

 and tattered by the wear and tear of time, are, when entire, fully 6 feet in length. 

 It is upon the stems and exposed portions of these extraordinary plants that the 

 anubis baboons feed ; tearing and ripping the woody tissue with their powerful 

 tusks. 



THE YELLOW BABOON (Cynocephalus babuin). 



Our next example of this group is the yellow baboon, represented in the 

 accompanying figure, and also on p. 66. This species may be distinguished from 

 the preceding by the absence of a crest of hair on the nape of the neck, and likewise 

 by its coloration. It takes its popular name from the pale brownish -yellow hue of 

 the fur, which is rather darker on the sides of the back than elsewhere, while it 

 tends to a whitish tint on the cheeks. The hair on the crown of the head is some- 

 what elongated. As in the anubis baboon, the hairy parts of the hands and feet 

 agree in colour with the body ; but the naked parts of the face, hands, and feet 

 are, as in the other members of the group, of a deep black. 



It was long thought that the yellow baboon came from Nubia and the Sudan ; 

 it is now known to occur on the West Coast ; but according to Mr. H. H. 

 Johnston, there is a baboon found in the neighbourhood of Kilima-Njaro, on the 

 East Coast, which he provisionally identifies with this species. He states that these 

 baboons generally frequent the outlying parts of the plantations of the natives, 

 subsisting largely on the maize and other products stolen therefrom. In certain 

 localities they are extremely numerous, going about in troops composed of from 

 about fourteen individuals of both sexes and of all ages. They have but little 

 fear of man, and instead of running away will turn round and face an intruder, 

 with threatening gestures, at a distance of only a few yards. The natives are in 

 the habit of driving them away from the crops, when the baboons retreat in a 

 leisurely manner, with their cheek-pouches crammed full, and often dragging off 

 some of the plunder in their hands. In one instance it is related that a troop of 

 these animals pursued a native lad for some time, until he had placed a river 



