THE BABOON. 
NATURALISTS seem to be agreed 
that the baboons {cynocephalus) , 
while one of the most remark- 
able groups of the monkey fam- 
ily, are the ugliest, rudest, coarsest, and 
most repulsive representatives of it. 
The animal stands in the lowest degree 
of development of the monkey tribe, 
and possesses none of the nobler shapes 
and qualities of mind of other species. 
Aristotle called the baboons dog- 
headed monkeys, on account of the 
shape of their heads, which have a re- 
semblance to that of a rude, fierce dog. 
The baboons are found throughout 
Africa, Arabia, and India. In the main 
they are mountain monkeys, but also 
live in forests and are excellent tree- 
climbers. In the mountains they go as 
high as nine thousand to thirteen thou- 
sand feet above the sea-level, but give 
preference to countries having an ele- 
vation of three thousand or four thou- 
sand feet. Old travelers assert that 
mountainous regions are their true 
home. 
The food of the baboons consists 
chiefly of onions, tubers, grass, fruit, 
eggs, and insects of all kinds, but, as 
they have also a greedy appetite for 
animal food, they steal chickens and 
kill small antelopes. In plantations, 
and especially vineyards, they cause 
the greatest damage, and are even said 
to make their raids in an orderly, de- 
liberate, and nearly military manner. 
Brehm, who observed them closely, 
says that they resemble awkward dogs 
in their gait, and even when they 
do stand erect they like to lean on one 
hand. When not hurried their walk is 
slow and lumbering; as soon as they 
are pursued, they fall into a singular 
sort of gallop, which includes the most 
peculiar movements of the body. 
The moral traits of the baboons are 
quite in accord with their external ap- 
pearance. Scheitlin describes them as 
all more or less bad fellows, "always 
savage, fierce, impudent, and malicious; 
the muzzle is a coarse imitation of a 
dog's, the face a distortion of a dog's 
face. The look is cunning, the mind 
wicked. They are more open to in- 
struction than the smaller monkeys and 
have more common sense. Their imi- 
tative nature seems such that they 
barely escape being human. They 
easily perceive traps and dangers, and 
defend themselves with courage and 
bravery. As bad as they may be, they 
still are capable of being tamed in 
youth, but when they become old their 
gentle nature disappears, and they be- 
come disobedient; they grin, scratch, 
and bite. Education does not go deep 
enough with them. It is said that in 
the wild state they are more clever; 
while in captivity they are gentler. 
Their family name is 'dog-headed mon- 
keys.' If they only had the dog's soul 
along with his head !" Another traveler 
says that they have a few excellent 
qualities; they are very fond of each 
other and their children; they also be- 
come attached to their keeper and 
make themselves useful to him. "But 
these good qualities are in no way suffi- 
cient to counterbalance their bad hab- 
its and passions. Cunning and malice 
are common traits of all baboons, and 
a blind rage is their chief characteristic. 
A single word, a mocking smile, even 
a cross look, will sometimes throw the 
baboon into a rage, in which he loses 
all self-control." Therefore the animal 
is always dangerous and never to be 
trifled with. 
The baboons shun man. Their chief 
enemy is the leopard, though it oftener 
attacks the little ones, as the old fel- 
lows are formidable in self-defense. 
Scorpions they do not fear, as they 
break off their poisonous tails with 
great skill, and they are said to enjoy 
eating these animals as much as they 
do insects or spiders. They avoid poi- 
sonous snakes with great caution. 
This animal is said to be remarkable 
for its ability in discovering water. In 
South Africa, when the water begins to 
run short, and the known fountains 
have failed, it is deprived of water for 
a whole day, until it is furious with 
thirst. A long rope is then tied to its 
collar, and it is suffered to run about 
where it chooses. First it runs forward 
a little, then stops, gets on its hind feet, 
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