Fish River Bush, South Africa. 207 



Several communities of the Bavian, or Ursine Baboon (Gy- 

 nocephalus porcarius), are scattered over this bushy country 

 in different localities. Inaccessible bushy krantzes are their 

 favourite resort, but they may be found amongst the hills and 

 koppies here and there ; but when alarmed they betake them- 

 selves to their rocky fastnesses. They are destructive in 

 gardens and grain fields, and become an annoyance to farm- 

 ers on that account. "When troublesome, they are sometimes 

 hunted when found single ; as attacking a whole community, 

 except for their dispersion, would be dangerous. A pack 

 of dogs are employed to bring the animal to bay, and the 

 conflict is very similar to that with the wild pig, and is 

 obliged to be terminated with the knife or the bullet. If a 

 baboon takes refuge in the trees from the dogs which wait 

 barking at the foot, he is brought down by a shot, which pro- 

 bably only wounds him, as correct aim cannot easily be taken, 

 from the obstruction of the leaves. Sometimes a dog is killed 

 by the wounds inflicted by the baboon's formidable tusks, 

 and generally one or two are wounded before the struggle is 

 over. These tusks are quite as formidable as those of the 

 wild pig, but the upper one, pointed downwards, is the longer 

 and more projecting of the two, quite sharp on the hinder 

 edge, so that what is bitten is speedily torn through by the 

 retraction of the head of the animal. In some old indivi- 

 duals, from the absence of so perfect a grinding tooth oppo- 

 site as the pig possesses, the upper tusks attain such a length 

 that it becomes impossible to open the jaw wide enough, so 

 as to permit the use of such an apparently formidable fang, 

 and consequently the boer has less fear of having his dogs 

 maimed when hunting such, as their bite is no longer to be 

 dreaded. Many old baboons also are devoid of one or other 

 upper tusk, which has probably been broken off in some for- 

 mer struggle. When caught young, they may be trained to 

 a certain extent ; but they very frequently become ferocious 

 from the confinement of the chain, especially males, and dan- 

 gerous to their keepers and masters, and are obliged to be 

 shot. A serious accident of this nature happened to a com- 

 missariat officer in Graham's Town, who was much lace- 



