DISEASES AND PESTS OF THE MAIZE CROP 429 



old remedy advocated by the early settlers was to make a hole CHAP 

 in a pumpkin just big enough to let the empty baboon hand x " ' 

 through; the baboon would then come and put his hand 

 through the hole, fill it with pumpkin seed and would not be 

 able to get his full hand back, nor would he think of letting 

 the seeds go in order to withdraw his empty hand, and there- 

 fore would be caught. I can only say that I have never been 

 able to catch any baboons in this or any other traps ; I have 

 found pumpkins with holes much wider than those made by 

 myself, but the inside'of the pumpkin had been eaten or carried 

 off by the intruders. 



" In captivity I have tried in vain to destroy baboons with 

 strychnine. I remember one old dangerous specimen which I 

 tried to poison with about fifteen grains of pure strychnine, 

 hidden in a banana. The banana was eaten — almost swallowed 

 whole without biting — in my presence and the baboon did not 

 show the slightest trace of indisposition. I have made similar 

 attempts two or three times with the same negative results. 

 The animals had simply to be shot. 



" Neither is it an easy task to approach a troop of baboons 

 with a rifle, and even if one should be fortunate enough to kill 

 one sentry by a well-directed and lucky shot, the troop will 

 escape unharmed, and smarter sentries will be put out next 

 time." 



He concludes, however, that the rifle is the only means of 

 destruction ; the fight must be kept up continuously for a long 

 time, before an old-established troop will be permanently 

 driven away from its accustomed haunts. He advises the 

 organization of large " drives," at frequent intervals, to surround 

 the favourite haunts of a troop and exterminate it. 



Lyddekker in his book, On Mountain Excursions, quotes 

 Mrs. Martin (in Home Life on an Ostrich Farm) : — 



" No vegetable poison has the slightest effect on the baboon's 

 iron constitution ; and, indeed, if there exists any poison at all 

 capable of killing him, it is quite certain that, with his superior 

 intelligence, he would be far too artful to take it ; and when the 

 fiat for his destruction has gone forth, a well-organized attack 

 has to be made on him with dogs and guns. He can show 

 fight, too, and the dogs must be well trained and have the 

 safety of numbers to enable them to face him ; for in fighting 

 he has the immense advantage of hands, with which he seizes 

 a dog and holds him fast, while he inflicts a fatal bite through 



