264 Allen's naturalist's library. 



them, however, lighter. Head, arms, and legs black ; face, 

 hands, feet, and ears dark blue ; a white ring encircling each 

 eye ; upper eyelids white ; whiskers grey. 



Female and Young Male. — Similar to the adult male in wanting 

 a conspicuous mane ; head rounder ; nose less protuberant ; 

 cranial portion of skull less conspicuously disproporiionate to 

 the facial portion. 



Distribution. — This species inhabits South Africa ; and in the 

 Cape Colony it is found in large troops. 



Habits. — The Chacma, which is the largest of all the Baboons, 

 lives, like the others, in troops, consisting of nearly a hundred 

 individuals. They inhabit rocky places, and apparently prefer 

 country broken into steep cliffs and rocky crags, very often in 

 the neighbourhood of the sea. The Chacmas are very ferocious 

 and dangerous, and in captivity, when fully adult, extremely 

 jealous, but when young they are said to be playful and well- 

 dispositioned. They are, moreover, very intelligent. Their 

 sense of smell, especially for hidden water-springs in dry and 

 arid districts, is said to be remarkable. " An animal," says Le 

 Vaillant, in his "Travels in Africa," "that rendered me more 

 effectual services; which, by its useful presence, suspended 

 and even dissipated certain bitter and disagreeable reflections 

 that occurred to my mind ; which, by its simple and striking 

 instinct, seemed to anticipate my efforts ; and which comforted 

 me in my languor— was an Ape, of that kind so common at 

 the Cape, under the name of Cawiars. As it was extremely 

 familiar, and attached itself to me in a particular manner, I 

 made it my taster. When we found any iruit or roots unknown 

 to my Hottentots, we never touched them until my dear Kees 

 [the Chacma] had first tasted them ; if it refused them, we 



