THE MANDRILL 



(Maimon mormon) 



THE mandrill is a highly specialised and at the same time extremely hideous 

 West African representative of the dog-faced baboons, nearly all of which 

 are confined to Africa south of the Sahara, although one species is a native 

 of southern Arabia. All these baboons have the long straight muzzles from which 

 the group derives its name, and all except the subject of the accompanying Plate 

 are more or less uniformly coloured animals, with, in most cases, comparatively 

 long tails. The mandrill and its ally and compatriot the drill are, however, 

 distinguished from all their relatives by the reduction of the tail to a mere stump ; 

 while old males of the former are further characterised by the presence of large 

 fluted swellings on the sides of the muzzle and the brilliant colouring of these and 

 the other bare parts in this region, while a nearly equal brilliancy is developed in 

 the naked patches on the rump. 



To the female mandrill, who, as shown in the Plate, lacks the nasal 

 swellings and brilliant hues of her lord and master, this style of decoration may, 

 and probably does, appear beautiful, but to ourselves it is simply hideous and 

 repulsive, as are the manners and ways of this monstrous ape. The nature of the 

 colouring of the old males is sufficiently indicated in the coloured Plate ; but it may 

 be mentioned that the scarlet area on the muzzle has the appearance of vermilion 

 sealing-wax, while the ultramarine of the lateral swellings is suffused in the flutings 

 with shades of violet, more especially when the animal is under the influence of 

 excitement. Indeed, when in this condition, all the colours are intensified and 

 heightened. 



In size the male mandrill may be compared to a short-bodied mastiff, while 

 in strength and ferocity it has few equals, so that it is rightly dreaded by all the 

 natives of West Africa. The female is a much smaller and much less powerful 

 animal. 



The mandrill, which is one of the shyest of all apes, inhabits the rocky 

 parts of mountain forests in the Gold Coast, Guinea, and the adjacent districts of 

 West Africa. Its food consists of fruits, bulbous plants, grass, and various other 

 herbage, birds' eggs, and all small animals that it can capture. 



When captured young, the mandrill is sufficiently amiable, and for a time it 

 remains tame and amenable ; but, in the case of males at any rate, in the course of 

 a few years its naturally evil disposition asserts itself, and it soon becomes one of 

 the most vicious and disgusting brutes in creation. Indeed, there is not a good 

 word to be said in its favour. In confinement the rage of the old males is something 



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