A Hand-book to the Primates, Volume 1 (of 2)Forbes, Henry O. (Henry Ogg)
Science
A Hand-book to the Primates, Volume 1 (of 2)
Forbes, Henry O. (Henry Ogg)
Primates
_Cynocephalus porcarius_, Fitz. et Heugl., Syst. Uebers., 1866, p. 6;
var. Gray, Cat. Monkeys Brit. Mus., p. 64 (1870).
_Papio doguera_, Schl., Mus. Pays Bas, vii., p. 126 (1876).
CHARACTERS.--Face naked; tail moderately long, terminating in a tuft of
hairs. General colour of fur olive-brown, or yellowish-olive, the hairs
being ringed alternately with black and orange, or brownish-yellow, bars,
for their outer third; body and outer surface of hind-limbs and tail
olive-brown, the brown predominating; sides of head, under surface of body,
and inner surface of limbs pale yellow; hands and feet dark brown or
black--Length of body, 38 inches; of tail, 20 inches.
The canine teeth are very large, and the lower jaw very heavy.
Distinguished from _C. porcarius_ by its much lighter colour.
DISTRIBUTION.--The interior of Abyssinia.
HABITS.--This very rare Baboon, of which only a very few specimens are
known, was brought by Schimper from Central Abyssinia. He states, according
to Dr. Slack, that these animals are gregarious, as he met with them in
troops of from one to two thousand individuals. They hunt their prey, which
consists mainly of small Ruminants, in a manner similar to that of a pack
of Hounds, following the quarry till it is exhausted by fatigue, and then
capturing and devouring it. It {263}is also stated that the Lion and the
Leopard are unknown in the region inhabited by this Baboon. A glance at the
animal under consideration would convince anyone that it is of a most
ferocious disposition. Mr. Schimper also informs us that it wages continual
war against the Gelada Baboon (_Theropithecus gelada_) which inhabits the
same locality.
IV. THE CHACMA BABOON. PAPIO PORCARIUS.
_Simia porcaria_, Bodd., Naturf., xxii., p. 17, figs. 1, 2 (1787).
_Cynocephalus porcarius_ (Le Chacma), F. Cuv., Hist. Nat. Mamm., p. 132,
pl. 47 (? 1807); Gray, Cat. Monkeys Brit. Mus., p. 34 (1870).
_Papio comatus_, Geoffr., Ann. Mus., xix., p. 103 (1812).
_Papio porcarius_, Geoffr., Ann. Mus., xix., p. 102 (1812); Schl., Mus.
Pays Bas, vii., p. 124 (1876).
_Cynocephalus ursinus_, Schinz, Synops. Mamm., i., p. 64 (1844).
CHARACTERS.--Face and ears naked; muzzle protruding, the nose extending
beyond the upper lip; the hair of the body long and shaggy, lengthening on
the shoulders and the neck, but not forming a conspicuous mane; whiskers
small and directed backwards; tail slightly exceeding half the length of
the body, elevated at its base, and then descending perpendicularly;
callosities small; hands and feet naked. Sense of smell acute.
Skull flattened, the cranial portion smaller than the facial; ridges above
and at the sides of the close-set orbits very large; nasal bones long and
prominent; canine teeth very large and triangular.
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