MANDRILL AND DRILL 59 



The hamadryad, which may have been indigenous to the delta of the Nile 

 in early times, or may have been imported from Abyssinia, was held sacred 

 by the ancient Egyptians, and consecrated to the god Thoth. The stone effigies 

 of these apes in all cases represent old males, sitting with their hands on their 

 laps, and the body enveloped in the mane, which forms a large mantle. In 

 spite of the city of Hermopolis — the town of Thoth — being devoted to its cult, 

 and a special tomb at Thebes assigned to its mummies, the ancient Egyptians 

 apparently employed the hamadryad for useful services. This is shown in the 

 sculptures, one of which represents a sj T comore-fig loaded with fruit, in the 

 branches of which sit three apes, easily recognisable as hamadryads, which hand 

 the fruit down to two slaves standing beneath the tree, and holding baskets filled 

 with the figs. It thus appears that the ancient Egyptians had succeeded in taming 

 and training these apes in the same way as the Malays in Sumatra are reported to 

 have done in the case of one of the long-tailed langurs, which they employ in 

 gathering cocoa-nuts. 



Mandriu Although often included in the genus Papio with the ordinary 



and Drill, dog-faced baboons, the two hideous, short-tailed West African baboons 

 known as the mandrill and the drill are regarded by many naturalists of the present 

 day as entitled to form a genus by themselves under the respective designations of 

 Mormon maimon and M. leucophcews. Justification for this separation is afforded 

 by certain differences they present from the more typical dog-faced baboons. 

 These include the short or rudimentary tail, the presence of curious fluted swellings 

 on the sides of the nose, the peculiarly shortened form of the body, and the great 

 length of the front as compared with the hind limbs. All these peculiarities are 

 most developed in the adult males of the mandrill, which have the swellings on 

 the sides of the nose bright blue, and the other bare portion of the face, inclusive 

 of the nose, brilliant scarlet ; the latter colour also appearing on the naked 

 callosities of the hind-quarters. The tail is extremely short, and the general 

 colour of the coat yellowish brown, with rings of different colours on the hairs. 

 The mandrill is of the size of a mastiff. The drill, on the other hand, is a rather 

 smaller and less powerful baboon, with the bare parts of the face and buttocks 

 slate-coloured, and the individual hairs of the coat uniformly coloured ; the tail is 

 also rather longer than that of the mandrill. 



In immature males of the mandrill the face is black, while in females of all 

 ages it is blue, this sex also showing a much smaller development of the swellings 

 on the nose. Of the habits of the mandrill in the wild state little is known. 

 It apparently, however, associates in large companies, like the dog-faced baboons, 

 and is a dangerous enemy on account of its strength and size, although probably 

 it does not attack human beings without provocation, thereby differing from its 

 relatives. Mandrills are often brought to Europe, especially when young; and in 

 captivity grow sulky and malicious with increasing age. If intending defiance, 

 they beat the ground with one hand ; if wishing to be amiable, they turn their 

 brilliantly coloured hind-quarters to visitors ; this being also done by young 

 males in which the colours are not yet developed. If well treated, these baboons 

 will learn a variety of tricks, and some have even become celebrated for their 

 cleverness hi this line. 



