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NOTES ON THE CHACMA BABOON. 

 By W. L. Distant. 



During a four years' sojourn in the Transvaal I saw many of 

 these animals (Cynocephalus porcarius) , heard much about them, 

 had two in my possession as pets for nearly three years, and have 

 still one which I brought home with me. 



When travelling up country from the Cape in 1893, a troop of 

 at least fifty crossed the railway track just in front of the train at 

 early morning, evidently returning from some marauding expedi- 

 tion. I was told by an old Africander that Baboons and " other 

 vermin " were becoming more plentiful in the colony, owing to 

 the little shooting now done by the farmers. 



I was also informed by a very intelligent Africander whom I 

 frequently met in Pretoria, that Baboons can count up to three, 

 but not higher.* As proof of this he related the following experi- 

 ence : — In early days he was once on his brother's farm near where 

 Johannesburg now stands, and where Baboons were committing 

 severe depredations on the mealie crop. As usual, there was 

 one of these animals posted as a sentinel to give warning of the 

 approach of the irate and armed farmer, when the raiders would 

 decamp to a rocky eminence in the vicinity. My informant was 

 accompanied by two friends, making with the farmer four in all. 

 Now, he said, we " will do the Baboons," for they cannot count 

 more than three, and we will leave one of our party behind. 

 They accordingly approached the thieves, who immediately fled, 

 the retiring sentinel still watching them. Three of the men then 

 returned, leaving the armed farmer secreted among the mealies. 

 In a short time the word seemed passed among the Baboons that 

 all was right, as the three human visitors had been seen to retire ; 

 the animals once more came forth to steal and feed, and the first 



* Mr. Komanes has stated that the Chimpanzee " Sally " was instructed 

 in this art, and that before death her "counting" extended as far as ten. 

 (See • Darwin and after Darwin,' vol. ii. pp. 31-2, notes.) 



