_Simia maimon_, Linn., Syst. Nat., p. 35 (1766).
_Simia mormon_, Altstr., Acta. Noem., p. 144, pl. 3 (1766).
_Papio maimon_, Erxl., Syst. Regne Anim., p. 17 (1777); Schl., Mus. Pays
Bas, vii., p. 130 (1876).
_Cynocephalus mormon_, Fr. Cuvier, Hist. Nat. Mammif., pp. 143, 146, pls.
52, 53 (1807).
_Papio mormon_, Geoffr., Ann. Mus., xix., p. 104 (1812).
_Mormon maimon_, Gray, Cat. Monkeys, Brit. Mus., p. 36 (1870).
CHARACTERS.--MALE.--Body massive and strong; trunk declining backwards;
head disproportionately large; muzzle much elongated and protruding, with
large longitudinal rugose swellings along each side when full grown; mouth
large, and with very animal-like lips; brows strongly projecting over the
base of the nose and the small, approximated, deep-set eyes; {259}ears
black, naked, and pointed; under-jaw heavy; tail carried erect, very short,
two inches long, and naked beneath; limbs short and powerful; the Dog-like
nose shorter than the upper lip; nostrils large. Hair rising from the ridge
on the lower edge of the brow to a crest on the top of the head, descending
into a mane on the back of the head and neck; hair of the body bristly;
chin bearded; whiskers proceeding from over the cheek-bones and from under
the outer corner of the eyes, long, and directed from the face; the very
large callosities, parts of the rump in their neighbourhood, and the inside
of the thighs naked. Hands and feet naked.
Skull very massive, having numerous strong muscular crests; the jaws and
teeth very powerful, especially the canines, which are huge; the forehead
flat and the brain-case small, and further reduced by the great projection
backward of the orbits. The cheek-bones enormously swollen along the side
of the nose; in the neck a large air-sac. The back-bone has to some extent
the peculiar double curve characteristic of the human vertebral column but
in the conformation of certain of their vertebræ a similarity to the lower
quadrupeds, especially to the Carnivora, is seen in the Mandrill, in
accordance with their quadrupedal mode of progression. The metacarpal
bones, except that of the thumb, are all of the same length, while in the
Man-like Apes they are unequal. The thumb is much restricted in its motions
on account of the disposition of certain of the muscles of the hand. The
pectoral and pelvic muscles are strongly developed.
Face-ridges bright blue, with purple in the intervening furrows. The bridge
of the nose (after the development of the permanent teeth) red, the tip
scarlet; lips greyish-black. {260}General colour of fur black, fringed with
yellow; centre of the crown of head, crest, nape (extending down the back),
and sides of the body black; beard citron-yellow; callosities and
surrounding naked skin violet; genital and anal regions scarlet.
FEMALE AND YOUNG MALE.--Facial rugosities less marked outwardly, as well as
on the skull, than in the adult male, and the purple colour of the grooves
wanting. The nose is black, not scarlet.
A hybrid between a female of this species and a male Macaque (_M.
cynomologus_) was born in the Zoological Gardens of London in October,
1878.
DISTRIBUTION.--West Africa, from Senegambia to the Congo.
HABITS.--These hideous and extraordinary animals live together in large
companies, and are a terror to the natives. They are less ill-dispositioned
when young, but when adult, they are very savage. They are nearly
omnivorous, but fruits and insects form their chief food. When the Mandrill
is in any way excited, the brilliantly-coloured naked parts of the skin are
said to become still more vividly coloured.