_Le petit papion_, Buffon, Hist. Nat. Mamm., xiv., pl. 14 (1766).
_Papio cynocephalus_, Geoffr., Ann. Mus., xix., p. 102 (1812); Schl.,
Mus. Pays Bas, vii., p. 127 (1876).
_Cynocephalus babouin_, Desm., Mamm., p. 68 (1820); (Le babouin), F.
Cuvier, Mem. du Mus., iv., p. 419, pl. 19 (1818); id. Hist. Nat. Mamm.,
livr. iv. (1819); Is. Geoffr., Arch. Mus., ii., p. 579, pl. 34 (1841);
Gray, Cat. Monkeys Brit. Mus., p. 35 (1870).
_Simia cynocephala_, Fischer, Synop. Mamm., p. 33 (1829).
_Cynocephalus anubis_, var. Wagner in Schreb., Säugeth., Suppl., v., p.
63 (1855).
CHARACTERS.--ADULT MALE.--Snout elongate, not surpassing the upper lip;
nostrils large, round, separated by a longitudinal furrow above; tail
shorter than the body, haired throughout its {266}length; curved upwards at
the root, and then descending straightly; no mane; hair of crown elongated,
a large tuft directed backwards on each cheek, forming large whiskers.
General colour of fur brownish-yellow; ears nude, coloured like the face;
face livid flesh-colour, deeper round the eyes; upper side of body uniform
brownish-yellow, the hairs being ringed alternately with broader yellow and
narrower black bars; sides of body somewhat darker; throat and under side
paler yellow than above; whisker-tufts pale citron-yellow; hands and feet
like the back in colour, their naked parts like the face.
YOUNG MALE.--Coloration of upper parts similar to that of the adult male,
but paler underneath; the snout less protuberant.
DISTRIBUTION.--This species inhabits Western Abyssinia, Nubia (Dongola),
and the Soudan (Sennaar), at elevations of from 2,000 to 5,000 feet. It
also occurs on the West Coast of Africa--having been brought from the
Coanza river by the late Captain Cameron, R.N.; in East Africa Mr. H. H.
Johnston has observed it on Mount Kilimanjaro; while from the remarks of
Sir John Kirk given below it would seem to extend also as far south as the
Zambesi (Tete).
HABITS.--Very little is known of the habits of the Baboons in a state of
nature; but it is probable that this species does not differ materially in
its ways and manners of life from those of its near relations described in
the preceding pages. Sir John Kirk says that in some parts of Africa, such
as Tete, Batoko, and Rovuma it is considered to be a sacred animal by the
natives, and is thus unmolested.