BABOONS 



23 



form, and by their long, blunt muzzles, at the extremity of which 

 the nostrils are situated. They run, too, upon all-fours, and seldom 

 even attempt to stand upright. The jaws are immensely powerful, 

 and the long canine teeth are so sharply edged that they cut 

 almost like razors. 



Of this fact the baboon often takes advantage when pursued 

 by dogs. Know- 



ing that if a 

 number of these 

 animals attack 

 him simultane- 

 ously he will cer- 

 tainly be killed, 

 he gallops away 

 at full speed until 

 one of his pur- 

 suers has out- 

 stripped the rest. 

 Then he sudden- 

 ly turns, springs 

 upon the aston- 

 ished dog, seizes 

 it with his power- 

 ful arms, and 

 buries his teeth 

 in its neck. Ex- 

 erting all his 



strength, and with his jaws still clenched, he then forces away 

 the body of his victim, so that the terrible teeth tear their way 

 through the great blood-vessels of the neck. A moment later the 

 bleeding dog is flung dying upon the ground, and the baboon 

 is galloping on as before. 



Baboons as a rule take up their abode in rocky ground, over 

 which they can gallop with perfect ease, while their enemies iind it 

 very difficult to follow them. They live in large companies, under 

 the leadership of an old and experienced animal, which has won 

 his position by fighting all his rivals. 





The "Drill" Baboon 



