138 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
bounding movements, and lienee their locomotion differs much from that of many kinds of Monkey b. 
Doubtless they unite in such large troops in order to defend themselves against their enemies, and the 
old males are combative and grave. From their size and great power of jaw they are most formidable 
antagonists, and their boldness in resenting injury is said to be in proportion to their power. There 
are many stories of their attacking men. During the time before the Abyssinian Expedition sailed, 
a well-known German and two companions were surrounded by a huge herd, which barred their path, 
and were so threatening that lie was obliged to shoot one in self-defence. Even then, although they 
fell back, they did not run away. On the other hand, there were no instances known of these 
Baboons attacking any other of the expeditionary force. Near the passes the Baboons became very 
wary, for they were often tired at. 
The Hamadryas Baboons are not entirely vegetable feeders, although they usually live on fruits 
and grain, or on buds and succulent stems ; yet it appears to be true that they like insects now and 
then, and share them as delicacies. The old ones march about gravely, turning over stone after stone, 
but if there is a large stone which one cannot turn over, as many as can stand round it turn it with a 
will together, capsize it, and share the booty. The old males, who act as sentinels, are extremely 
watchful, and cry out with a peculiar note when there is danger; but this is only done when absolutely 
requisite, for silence is insisted on during their expeditions. Thus, when they plunder a garden in 
Abyssinia, they follow their leader without noise, and if an impudent young one makes a noise he 
receives a slap from the others to teach him silence and obedience. But as soon as they are aware 
that there is no danger, all show their joy by making as much noise as possible. 
The Hamadryas grows to the size of a large Pointer Dog, and measures rather more than four feet 
when standing erect, and about two feet and a half when sitting. The face is very long, naked, and 
of a dirty flesh-colour, with a ring of lighter tint round the eyes. The nostrils, as in the Dog, are 
separated by a slight furrow, and they open quite at the end of the snout, which projects slightly 
beyond the lip. The head, neck, shoulders, and all the fore parts of the body as far as the loins are 
covered with long shaggy hair; that on the hips, thighs, and legs is short, and contrasted with the 
former has the appearance of having been clipped, so that the whole animal bears some resemblance 
to a French Poodle. The hair of the back of the head and neck is upwards of a foot in length, and 
forms a long mane which falls hack over the shoulders, and at a distance looks something like a full 
short cloak. The whiskers are broad and directed downwards so as to conceal the ears ; their colour, 
as well as that of the fore part of the body, head, and mane, is a mixture of light grey and dusky 
colour, eacli hair being marked with numerous delicate rings of the colours. The short hair of the 
thighs and extremities is of a uniform colour of dusky brown, and a dark brown line passes down the 
middle of the back. The feet are rusty brown, and the hands are jet black. The tail is about one- 
half of the length of the body, and is carried drooping as in other Baboons ; it is terminated by a tuft 
of long brown hair. 
The female equals the male in point of size, but has no mane, being uniformly covered with short 
hair of deep olive-brown slightly mixed with green. She has a bearish look, and it is evident that 
the colours of both sexes are admirably adapted to hide them when crawling amongst rocks, or hiding 
away in holes and under ledges of stone. All have a wild, grunting bark, almost approaching a roar; 
and they possess laryngeal pouches or air sacs, which pass amongst the muscles of the neck and reach 
even into the armpits. The pouch ^communicates by one opening into the membrane above the larynx, 
and between its cartilage and the so called hyoid bone at the base of the tongue, and they, therefore, 
resemble those of the Semnopitheci. 
Mansfield Parkyns gives some very interesting and explicit statements about the intelligence and 
discipline of the Baboons. He says — “ The Monkeys, especially the Cynocephali, who are astonishingly 
clever fellows, have their chiefs, whom they obey implicitly, and a regular system of tactics in war, 
pillaging expeditions, robbing cornfields, &c. These [Monkey forays are managed with the utmost 
regularity and precaution. A tribe coming down to feed from their village on the mountain (usually 
a cleft in the face of some cliff) brings with it all its members, male and female, old and young. 
Some — the elders of the tribe distinguishable by the quantity of mane which covers their shoulders, 
like a Lion’s — take the lead, peering cautiously over each precipice before they descend, and climbing 
to the top of every rock which may afford a better view of the road before them. Others have then 
