The Chacma, so called from the Hottentot word TChackarnina, the aboriginal name of this baboon in South Africa, is one of the largest species of the present genus, and when full grown is equal in size, and ranch superior in strength, to a common English mastiff. This animal inhabits the mountains throughout the colony of the Cape of Good Hope, and associates in families more or less numerous. They are still found on the Table Mountain above Cape Town, though they do not exist in such numbers as they appear to have done formerly. Still however they pay occasional visits to the gardens at the base of the mountains, and with such skill and caution, that even the most watchful dogs, as we are assured by Professor Lichtenstein, cannot always prevent them. " Although," he remarks, " Kolbe somewhat exaggerates the regular and concerted manner in which their robberies are carried on, yet it is very true that they go in large companies upon their marauding parties, to support each other recip rocally, and carry off their plunder in greater security." Their common food consists of the bulbous roots of different plants, particularly of the Bahian [Bantasa]; these they dig up with their fingers, and peel them with their teeth, and heaps of the parings are frequently seen near the large stones upon which the baboons delight to sit and look round them. In ascending the kloofs or passes in the mountains of South Africa, which are frequently steep, narrow, and dangerous, travellers often disturb troops of these animals which have been sunning themselves on the rocks: if not attacked they scamper up the aides of the mountains yelling and screaming ; but if fired at and wounded, they no sooner get beyond the range of the gun than they commence rolling and throwing down stones, and otherwise resenting the injury. A full-grown Chemise is more than a match for two good dogs, and though there is no animal which hounds pursue with so much fury, yet the beers of the interior Would rather set their dogs upon a lion or panther than upon one of these baboons.
2. C. Ilamadrya, (Lionreus), the Herring, the most celebrated of all the Baboons, and probably the only species of this genus known to the ancients, inhabits the mountains of Arabia and Abyssinia, and grows to the size of a large pointer, measuring upwards of 4 feet when standing erect, and feet in a sitting posture. The face of this species is extremely elongated, naked, and of a dirty flesh-colour, with a lighter ring surrounding the eyes; the nostrils, as in the dog, are separated by a slight furrow ; the head, neck, shoulders, and all the fore part of the body as far as the loins, are covered with long shaggy heir ; that on the hips, thighs, and legs, is short, and contrasted with the former has the appearance of having been clipped, so that the whole animal bears no unapt resemblance to a French poodle. The hair of the occiput and neck is upwards of a foot in length, and foram a long mane which falls back over the shoulders, and at a distance looks something like a full short cloak. The whiskers are broad and directed backwards so as to conceal the ears ; their colour, RA well as that of the head, mane, and fore part of the body, la a mixture of light gray and cinereons, each hair being marked with numerous alternate rings of Ulcer) two colours; the short hair of the hips, thighs, and extremities is of a uniform ciucreons brown colour, rather lighter on the posterior surface of the thighs than on the other parts; a dark-brown lino passes clown the middle of the back, the hands are almost jet black, and the feet are rusty brown. The tail is
about half the length of the body, and is carried drooping as in other baboons ; it is terminated by a brown tuft of long hair ; the callosities are large and of a dark flesh-colour; the palms of the hands end solea of the feet dark-brown. The female when full grown is equal to the male in point of size, but differs considerably in the length and colour of the hair. This sex wants the Inane which ornaments the neck of the „pale, and over the whole body with short hair of equal length, and of a uniform deep olive-brown colour, slightly mixed with green. The throat and breast are but sparingly covered with hair, and the skin on these parte, as well as on the face, hands, and callosities, is of a deep tan-colour. Ilemprich and Ehrenberg in their 'Symbolic Physicie' compare the female Derrias to a bear, whilst the copious mane which adorns the fore quarters of the male gives to that sex much of the external form and appearance of a small lion. The young of both sexes resemble the female, and the large whiskers and manes of the males only begin to make their appearance when the animals arrive nt their full growth and mature age, that is, when they have completed their second dentition. At this period they undergo as great a change in their mental propensities as in their physical appearance. While young they are gentle, docile, and playful, but as soon as they have acquired their full development, they become sulky, malicious, and morose.
This species inhabits Arabia and Abyssinia, but is not found either in Egypt or Nubia., though its figure is often sculptured on the ancient monuments of both these countries. Hemprich and Ehrenberg found large troops of them in Wadi Kannn and in the mountains near the city of Gumfud in the country of the Wahabees, as well as in the mountains above Arkeeko on the Red Sea ; and we learn from Salt and Pearce that they are extremely common upon all the high lands in Tigr6. The travellers above-mentioned found troops of 100 and upwards in the neighbourhood of Filet, iu the chain of the Taranto.. These were usually composed of ten or twelve adult males, and about twenty adult females; the remainder of the troop was made up of the young of the four or five preceding years. When seen nt a distance approaching a small stream for the purpose of quenching their thirst, they bore a close resemblance to a flock of wild hogs ; and it was observed that the young ones always led the van, and that the old males brought up the rear, probably for the purpose of having the whole family continually ruder their immediate observation. The Arabic name of this animal is Robah or Robba; the Abyssinian call it Herring, according to Pearce's orthography, or Karrai, according to the spelling of Fleznprich.