f metal, coins, keys, etc.

Some say that the ostrich is inconceivably stupid, but others will not
accept such a severe condemnation. The traveller Schillings, who is
noted for his photographs of big game in Africa taken at night by
flashlight, once followed the spoor of some lions for several hours.
Suddenly he came upon an ostrich's nest with newly hatched chickens, and
he wondered where the parents were. To his astonishment, he found that
the lion had not touched the defenceless creatures, and he soon
discovered the reason. In the moonlight night the ostriches had
perceived the danger in time and sprang up to lure the lion away from
the nest. Their stratagem succeeded, for it was evident from the spoor
that the lion had pursued the flying ostriches farther and farther from
the nest. And when the pair of ostriches thought that they had enticed
the king of animals far enough off, they returned home.

BABOONS

Baboons are monkeys which resemble dogs rather than human beings, and
almost always remain on the ground, seldom climbing trees. They are
cruel, malicious, and cunning, their expression is fierce and savage,
and their eyes wicked. Among their allies they are surpassed in strength
only by the gorilla; and they are bold and spirited, and do not shun a
deadly struggle with the leopard. They have sharp and powerful teeth
with which to defend themselves, and their tusks are very formidable.

The old Egyptians paid deep homage to the sacred apes, which belong to
the baboon tribe, and had them represented on their monuments as judges
in the kingdom of death. They live in large companies among the cliffs
of the Red Sea coast of Nubia and Abyssinia, but they also occur in the
interior on high mountains. Roots, fruits, worms, and snails are their
chief food. They are afraid of snakes, but they catch scorpions,
carefully pinching off the poison gland before eating the reptiles. When
durra fields are in the neighbourhood of the baboons' haunts, watchmen
must be posted, or the animals work great havoc among the grain. And
when they are out on a raid, they, too, have sentinels on the lookout in
every direction.

During the night and when it rains they sit huddled up among
inaccessible rocks, whither they climb with wonderful activity. They
sally forth in the morning to satisfy their hunger, returning to the
high rocks at noon. Afterwards they go to the nearest brook or spring to
drink, and after another meal retire for t