We present the results of a deep photometric study of the outer halo of NGC 1275 , the highly active cD galaxy at the center of the Perseus cluster .
We find a modest excess of faint ( R > 22.5 ) starlike objects in its halo , indicating a population of old-halo globular clusters .
However , the total estimated cluster population corresponds to a specific frequency of S _ { N } = 4.4 \pm 1.2 , no larger than that of normal giant ellipticals and three times lower than that of other central cD galaxies such as M87 .
We discuss several ideas for the origin of this galaxy .
Our results reinforce the view that high S _ { N } ( ie : highly efficient globular cluster formation ) is not associated with cooling flows , or with recent starburst or merger phenomena .