Monkeys That Fight With Stones

Monkeys That Fight with Stones.

The Gelada baboons sometimes have battles wit the Hamadryads, especially when the two species have a mind to rob the same field, and if fighting in the hills, will roll stones on to their enemies. Not long ago a colony of Gelada baboons, which had been fired at by some black soldiers attending a duke of Coburg-Gotha on a hunting expedition on the borders of Abyssinia, blocked a pass for some days by rolling rocks on all comers. This seems to give some support to a curious objection raised by a Chinese local governor in a report to this superior on the difficulties in the way of opening to steamers the waters of the upper Yang-tse. The report, after noting that the inhabitants on the upper waters were ignorant men who might quarrel with strangers, went on to allege that monkeys, which inhabited the banks, would roll down stones on the steamers. "The two last facts," the report added, "would lead to complaint from the English and embroil the Celestials with them, especially if the men or the monkeys kill any English." --Spectator.