Search -
A Descriptive Catalogue of the South African Museum. Pt.1 of Mammalia
A Descriptive Catalogue of the South African Museum Pt1 of Mammalia Author:Andrew Smith Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. Excerpt from book: Section 1MAMMALIA; OR, ANIMALS WHICH SUCKLE THEIR YOUNG. A. No. 1. Baboon of the English. Bavian of the Dutch. Cynocephalus Ursinus of Naturalists.* The colour of this Baboon, th... more »ough it varies a little in different individuals, will generally be found to approximate towards a dirty black or blackish brown, tinged, however, here and there, more or less deeply, with a shade of dusky yellow or yellowish green.-)- The face is black, the eyes are brown, the eyebrows extremely prominent, and the hair on most parts of the body long and shaggy. It is an animal that in all its proceedings evinces marks of great sagacity ; and so highly is it capable of receiving and benefiting by instruction, that it has thereby, in many instances, been rendered useful to man: as a proof of which, the following circumstances, out of many, thathave been communicated to me by unquestionable authorities, may be stated:—'' A respectable inhabitant of the Onder Bokkeveld had, some few years ago, a baboon which he taught many surprising things ; and amongst others (being himself an excellent blacksmith) the use of the fore- hammer. That instrument the animal employed with unexceptionable skill, and readily performed with it whatever he was desired, but when large work happened to come upon the anvil, and the sparks to fly therefrom in abundance, he regularly threw away the hammer, and could by no means, on such occasions be induced to resume it. He could distinguish the several tools in the shop when asked for by their names, and would bring them to his master accordingly. When visitors arrived on horseback, he first saluted them, by taking oif a small leathern cap which he wore on his head, and then offered them his hand, after which he took the bridle reins, and led the horses to and fro in the style of a stable boy, until ...« less