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Show 198 SIR HARRY H. JOHNSTON ON [Mar. 21, extends westwards into Sierra Leone, where tlie Senegalese type of buffalo is met with. This last may be distinguished from the Congo Buffalo by its slightly longer horns with less expanded bases, and by the tendency to black in the colour of the hair*. Liberia is also, I believe, the westernmost range of the Diana Monkey. This country is chiefly remarkable, as regards the possession of peculiar species of mammals, for the Liberian Hippopotamus, the Zebra Antelope (Cephalophus dorice), Jentink's Duiker, and Biittikofer's Monkey. It is not to be supposed that these creatures carefully discriminate between the political boundaries of Sierra Leone, Liberia, and the Ivory Coast; and in all probability as a zoological district one may have to include within the limits of Liberia a portion of the eastern part of Sierra Leone and of the western part of the Ivory Coast, where the dense Liberian forests extend across the political frontiers. But, so far as present research goes, the creatures above named appear to be restricted in their distribution to the Liberian area. I do not think any trace of the Liberian Hippopotamus has been found in any other part of Africa. As regards the zebra-striped Duiker, it was thought at one time that its existence on the northern borders of the Congo watershed had been discovered by Dr. Junker; but the portions of the skin of this Zebra Antelope which he obtained were in all probability part of a young form or a dwarf species of Okapi. It has been said that the Common Hippopotamus existed in the lower reaches of the Cavally River, and was formerly found in the St. Paul's River. I saw none of them on the latter stream, and all my European correspondents deny the existence in any Liberian river (entering the Gulf of Guinea) of the big Hippopotamus, which, however, is present in the larger streams flowing towards the Niger. As regards the Dwarf Hippopotamus, it is met with in most parts of Liberia, wherever European explorers have penetrated. I have little to add to Biittikofer's description of its habits, except that I think that he insists too strongly on its predilection for a terrestrial life. According to the statements of European and native observers, it lives a good deal in the water. The Zebra Antelope is not met with close to the coast, but is fairly abundant in the hilly regions of the interior. It would seem to be very common in the Ivelipo country to the west of the upper Cavally, and also on either side of the upper St. Paul's River. The skins which I was able to exhibit came from the Kelipo country, and were collected by Mr. Maitland Pye- Smith. Since I have mentioned the name of this collector (who has also sent me three Chimpanzee skulls and the skull and teeth of a Pygmy Hippopotamus), I might state that he forwarded me * According to Captain d'Ollone, the Senegambian (black) Buffalo is found in Northern Liberia, the Congo or Red Buffalo in the Southern forest-region. |