ERKOWIT 379 



white, instead of the rich russet hue which distinguishes 

 the lammergeyer in Spain and in India. 



A specific object in these hills was to obtain the big 

 black-maned Abyssinian baboon : and extraordinary- 

 looking beasts these baboons were. A heavy dark mane, 

 pendent from head, neck, and shoulders alike, enveloped 

 the whole body as with a pelisse save only the naked, 

 hairless stern. At a distant view they resembled giant 

 poodles ! The baboons went in troops and were common 

 enough ; oft towards nightfall their unearthly shrieks 

 and howls re-echoed from crag to crag. Yet we failed. 

 For that lapse the blame falls solely on me, as the 

 big -game expert of our triumvirate. My excuse is 

 that after nearly five months' strenuous campaigning, 

 physical powers had begun to flag ; moreover, the chosen 

 strongholds of the baboons lay leagues away amidst 

 rugged and precipitous regions. My two colleagues 

 both fresh as at the start enjoyed various inter- 

 views both with baboons and lammergeyers ; they 

 reported the former as by no means difficult of access ; 

 but being armed themselves rather for Zosterops and 

 Cinnyris ( = feathered treasures so minute that a brace 

 will pack in a Bryant & May match-box!), no sort of 

 chance with the great hirsute Cynocephali ensued. By 

 such big and powerful beasts, no argument short of a 

 rifle-ball, will be admitted. This double failure (with 

 black-maned baboons and lammergeyer respectively) was 

 a severe disappointment, but I contented myself with 

 the resolve to retrieve both during the following winter 

 when SELOUS was to join me. That, however, was not 

 to be. Fate forbade. 



These woods were the home of the great Erckeli 

 francolin, a game-bird as big as a blackcock, very 

 clamorous at dawn, and often flying up to perch on the 

 euphorbias, or on an* upstanding boulder. The cocks 

 weighed 3! lb., females 2^ Ib. ; one of the latter, shot on 

 April 4th, was ready to lay, which shows that this is their 



