OCR Text |
Show 244 MR. W. H. ADAMS ON THE [Mar. 6, 1 do not know what the indigenous native name for these Squirrels is, but they are called Flying-Foxes B y the English-speaking natives and are very numerous. They live in hollow trees, not being particular as to their height or as to whether they are situated in the ravines or on the hills. Owing to the density of the bush it is very difficult for the white man to get at them, the only chance being to stand on a clearing and shoot them as they fly across, and this can only be done on a night when the moon is at the full. The first skin I ever sawT was when I was at Accra. It was in the possession of a native who was brought before m e for some offence, and, being struck with it, I asked if some more could be got. The native of the Coast, however, does not hurry himself, and, hearing nothing more of it, I quite forgot the matter. Some months after, in April 1893, I went to the Sanitarium at Aburi, a village situated at a height of some 800 feet among the hills before mentioned. The rains were just beginning and were very heavy. While watching a big cotton-wood tree being felled, I saw an animal which I mistook for a cat run out of a hole some 50 feet up and then return. W h e n the tree fell, with the help of a native I extricated the occupant, which turned out to be one of these Squirrels. It was very fierce and bit and scratched savagely till killed. The hole was about 5 feet deep, and covered at the bottom with sticks and smaU branches to such an extent that it was evident some sort of a nest was intended. I took the skin, and the " boys " at once seized on the body, which they told m e was the greatest delicacy that existed, and, as m y servant said, " W h e n you catch one man-fox you shut your door and don't want your friend to come and see you," meaning that it was too good to be shared. Finding that these Squirrels were to be had on the hills, I set to work to collect them. They come out of their holes in the trees some hours after sunset, returning long before daybreak. They are only to be seen on bright moonlight nights, and in fact the natives say they do not come out at all in stormy weather or on very dark nights. They live on berries and fruits, being specially fond of the palm oil-nut, which they take to their nests to peel and eat. The most I have seen in one hole is three, though the natives say five or six are sometimes found. They pass from tree to tree with great rapidity, usually choosing to jump from a high branch to a lower one, and then climbing up the tree to make a fresh start. The temperature on the hills varies considerably. During the time I was there-the rainy season, from the middle of April to the middle of June-it was never very hot, and one night I remember the thermometer the large black-and-white species discovered by Pel, and named in his honour Anomalurus peli (Temm. Esq. Zool. Gruin. p. 146, 1853). The astonishing abundance in which Mr. Adams found this species is rather remarkable, as previously only three or four specimens of it seem to have reached European Museums.-O. T.] |