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Show 1 9 0 ;).] OX THE MAMMALS OF SOUTHERN CAMEROON'S. 65 3. Notes on the Mammals of Southern Cameroons and the Benito. B y G e o r g e L. B a t e s *. [Received January 10, 1905.J It does not seem worth while to repeat here the description of the Cameroons-Gaboon forest given in connection with Dr. Sharpe's paper on the Birds of this Region in ‘ The Ibis' (1904, pp. 592-595). But it is necessary to bear in mind that the whole face of the country is absolutely covered with forest, consisting of tall trees standing close together, with the spaces between their stems filled with saplings and underbrush, and the whole bound together by vines and creepers, many of them thorny. This mass of vegetation excludes tlie sunlight, except in rare openings or rifts. Walking through it is difficult, except by following the paths. Clearings have been made for villages and plantations, and these when abandoned do not immediately return to forest, but for several years are possessed by a thicket of grass, bushes, and small trees of quick growth. Thus in the more thickly inhabited parts of the country there are considerable areas covered by this smaller growth instead of forest. But as these are near villages of men, and are avoided by the large animals, they may be almost ignored in considering the nature of the country as a habitation for mammals, though they are the favourite haunts of many birds. The dense and impenetrable nature of the forest, with but few human dwellings and paths, makes it an admirable hiding-place for animals of all kinds. Furthermore, the fact that everything larger than a mouse or a sparrow, whether beast, bird, or reptile, is constantly hunted for food by the natives, makes the animals afraid of man. Hence it comes that observation of animal life is peculiarly difficult here. The statement is often made with reference to the animals of ^Yest Africa, in books ot Isatuiiil History, that almost nothing is known of their habits in the wild state, because travellers have failed to record their observations. But the truth seems to be that travellers have seen little to record. The remark has been made by more than one person who lias journeyed through this forest region, that animal life in it is scarce; yet it really abounds in wonderful variety. Comparatively few white men, and not all natives, have seen an Elephant in this country ; yet their trails through the forest the broken and uprooted trees where they have been feeding, and even the mud-puddles where they have wallowed, are often seen. Leopards may be said to abound, judging from their ravages among domestic animals, and the frequency with which their tracks or droppings or leavings of their prey are found m the * C om m u n ica t e d by O l d f i e l d T h om a s , F.R.S., F.Z.S. P ro c . Z o o l. Soc.- 1905, Y o l . I. No. Y. 5 |