_Le papion_, F. Cuvier, Mamm., vol. i., livr. 6 ([male]); livr. 7
([female]), Hist. Nat. (1819).
_Papio sphinx_, Geoffr., Ann. Mus., xix., p. 103 (1812); Schl., Mus. Pays
Bas, vii., p. 127 (1876).
{270}_Cynocephalus papio_, Desmar., Mamm., p. 69 (1820).
_Cynocephalus choras_, Ogilby, P. Z. S., 1843, p. 12.
_Papio rubescens_, Temm., Esquisses Zool., p. 39 (1853); Schl., t. c. p.
28.
_Cynocephalus sphinx_, Gray, Cat. Monkeys, Brit. Mus., p. 35 (1870).
CHARACTERS.--MALE.--Snout tapering, longer than the upper lip; face, ears,
palms and soles of feet naked; whiskers bushy, directed backwards, nearly
hiding the quadrangular ears; tail of the form usual in this genus, shorter
than the body. Hair on back of the neck longer than on the body; facial
ridges present, but not very prominent; hinder part of belly, inside of
limbs, and chin, throat, and breast very scantily haired.
Face, ears, naked parts of hands and feet, black; upper eyelids white; fur
of head, back, and limbs in general brownish-yellow--the hairs being ringed
with alternate bars of black and light-brown; cheeks and whiskers
fawn-coloured; throat and under side of body paler. Scrotum, callosities,
and naked parts of buttocks bright flesh-coloured, but not so bright as in
_C. hamadryas_. Length of body (in young male), 27 inches; of tail, 20
inches.
FEMALE AND YOUNG MALE.--Similar to adult males in coloration; but less
thick-set, and with a shorter muzzle.
DISTRIBUTION.--The Guinea Baboon inhabits West Africa from Senegal and the
Niger to Central Africa. In East Africa, Mr. H. H. Johnston observed it in
the inhabited region of Kilimanjaro.
HABITS.--Little is known of the habits of this species; but it is
improbable that it departs widely from those of the other {271}members of
the genus. In regard to the bright coloration of the callosities and
posterior parts of this and other Baboons, Mr. Darwin remarks: "In the
discussion on sexual selection in my 'Descent of Man,' no case interested
and perplexed me so much as the highly-coloured hinder ends and adjoining
parts of certain Monkeys. As these parts are more brightly coloured in one
sex than the other, and as they become more brilliant during the season of
love, I concluded that the colours had been gained as a sexual
attraction.... I had, however, at that time no evidence of Monkeys
exhibiting this part of their bodies during their courtship.... I have
lately read [in an article by J. von Fischer, of Gotha, published in April,
1876] an account of the behaviour of a young male Mandrill when he first
beheld himself in a looking-glass, and it is added, that after a time he
turned round and presented his red hinder end to the glass. Accordingly I
wrote to Herr J. von Fischer to ask what he supposed was the meaning of
this strange action. He says that he was himself at first perplexed ... and
was thus led carefully to observe several individuals of various other
species of Monkeys, which he has long kept in his house. He finds that not
only the Mandrill (_C. mormon_) but the Drill (_C. leucophæus_) and three
other kinds of Baboons (_C. hamadryas_, _C. sphinx_, and _C. babuin_) ...
turn this part of their bodies, which in all these species is more or less
brightly coloured, to him when they are pleased, and to other persons as a
sort of greeting.... From these facts von Fischer concludes that the
Monkeys which behaved in this manner before a looking-glass ... acted as if
their reflection were a new acquaintance.... It deserves especial attention
that von Fischer has never seen any species purposely exhibit the hinder
part of its body, if not at all {272}coloured.... With respect to the
origin of the habit, it seems to me probable that the bright colours,
whether on the face or hinder end, or as in the Mandrill, on both, serve as
a sexual ornament and attraction.... The fact that it is only the Monkeys
(with those parts brightly coloured), which as far as at present known, act
in this manner as a greeting towards other Monkeys, renders it doubtful
whether the habit was first acquired from some independent cause, and that
afterwards the parts in question were coloured as a sexual ornament; or
whether the colouring and the habit of turning round were first acquired
through variation and sexual selection, and that afterwards the habit was
retained as a sign of pleasure, or as a greeting, through the principle of
inherited association."