The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1896-08-21
FIGHTING BABOONS.
They March Like Soldiers and Are Brave
When Attacked.

Gently journeyed through Africa confirm
in large measure the stories OF sagaclty
and organized movements among the
balloons of the country that used to be
regarded as exaggerations, to say the
least. On authority that can now hard
ly be questioned it would seem that the
African balloons organize their defensive
and other movements with an lntelll-
gence scarcely inferior to that shown by
o number of savage tribes of human
beings.
The baboon is slow moving animal,
with little Of the agility found among
most of the monkey tribes, but never
theless is comparatively safe from the
usual dangers which menace him as
long as he stays among the rocks ana
woods. But it is his habit to spend
much time i'll the open country, and
upon these excursions his sagacity IN
organizing for CON bined defense is
chiefly shown. They have been known
to attack the natives when in small
numbers, but their natural enemies
when thus exposed are the leopard, the
lion and in South Africa the Cape wild
dogs. To the attack of the leopard they
oppose numbers and discipline No en-
counter between the balloons and wild
dogs has been witnessed and described,
but their defensive operations against
domesticated dogs were seen and record
ed by the German naturalist Brehm.
On one occasion, he says, the balloons
were on fat ground, crossing valley,
when his dogs, Arab greyhounds, accus-
toned to fi2ht successfully with hyenas
and other beasts Of prey, rushed toward
the balloons. Only the females took to
fight. The males, Gu the contrary,
turned to face the dogs, growled, beat
the ground with their hands, opened
their mouths wide and showed their
ALTERING teeth and looked at their ad-
yersaries so furiously and maliciously
that the hounds, usually bold and battle
hardened, shrank back.
By the time the dogs were encouraged
to renew the attack the whole herd had
made their way, covered by the rear
guard, to the rocks, except 6-months-
old monkey, which was left behind.
The little monkey sat on low rock,
surrounded by the dogs, but was rescued
by an old baboon, who stepped down
from the cliff near, advanced toward
the dogs, kept them in check by gestures
and menacing sounds, picked up the
baby monkey and carried it to the cliff,
where the dense crowd of monkeys,
shouting their battlecry, were watching
his heroism. The march of the balloons
is not mere expedition of the predatory
members of the community. The whole
nation "treck'' together and make war
on the cultivated ground in common.
Their communities are numerous enough
to reproduce in miniature the move
ments of troops. The tribe often num-
bers from $50 to 800 individuals. VI
these the females and young are placed
in the center when ON the march, while
the old males march in front and close
the rear. Other males scout upon the
TANKS. 1t has been noticed that these
| remain on guard and do not feed DUR
| ing the whole time that the rest are
gathering provender.
If disturbed by men, the old males
form "a rear guard and retire without
any naSt6, dllOWiHS tno iOAh"iOS ''iN'
young to go ahead, carrying the plum
der. Their retreat is, as a rule, dellber-
ate and orderly, the balloons being quite
ready to do battle with any animal on
the plain, and instantly becoming the
assailant of man himself when they get
the advantage CT position Brehm was
stoned out of a pass i'll few minutes
by the dog faced balloons. These self
reliant animals he writes, "are a
match even Tor men. While the scream
| ing females with young ones fed with
all haste over the crest of the rock be-
yond the range of our guns, the adult
males, cast1ug furious chances, beating
the prounu with their hands, sprang
upon stol.cs AIS. lodges looked down on
the valley itr IL few moments, contlnu-
ally growl. -, sn;,rling and screaming,
and then 1t gan TO roll down stones on
us With so l.luch vigor and adroltness
that V, c immediately saw that our lives
were i'll danger and took to flight. The
clever animals not only conducted thsl1
defense en- definite plan, but they
acted il cooperation, STRIVING Tor q
common oLd, and eXtrtlng all thell
united 81. 9Th to obtain 1t. San
Francisco L--.,IlinCr.