OCR Text |
Show 202 SIR HARRY II. JOHNSTON ON [Mar. 21, (which the Mandingos callGusu), the Roan Antelope (Mandingo : Mina), and Cobus sing sing. The Mandingos know of the Giraffe, which is no doubt present in the extreme northern part of Liberia. The Red Bush-Pig (Potcimiochoerus penicillatus) is abundant throughout Liberia. It is occasionally tamed by the natives, and is said to interbreed freely with the domestic swine. I noticed one very curious point regarding the domestic pigs which were so common an object in the streets of Americo-Liberian towns on the coast. These pigs seem to be the degenerate descendants of European breeds, introduced originally no doubt by the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the English. It occurs very frequently in the litters of these pigs that the young are striped and spotted with white, exactly like the young of the Wild Boar. I have seen it stated generally that the Domestic Pig was never marked with white like the young of the wild species of the genera Sus and Potamochcerus. Whether this feature in the domestic pigs of Liberia is caused by their reverting to the condition of the wild stock of Europe from which they sprang, or whether it is in any way due to mixture with the Red Pig, I cannot say positively; but the parents of these spotted young were emphatically European domestic pigs in origin, and did not betray in themselves the slightest intermixture with the Red Bush-Pig. But I know that on the Congo and in the Niger Delta cases of interbreeding between the Red Bush-Pig and the domestic swine are occasionally reported. Liberia, in common with Sierra Leone and perhaps the Ivory Coast and Gold Coast, boasts of one of the most interesting of African mammals, the Dorcatherium aquaticum, the Water- Chevrotain. The eastern range of this animal has not yet been determined. I never remember hearing that it had been found to the east of the Gold Coast, but perhaps this is simply due to oversight. The Dorcatherium is fairly common in the interior of Sierra Leone, and I believe is occasionally found in Portuguese Guinea and the adjoining regions of French Senegambia. It is fairly common in Liberia, though excessively difficult to capture. It lives a good deal in the water, in which its body is often immersed. It is said by the natives to conceal itself most cleverly amongst the water vegetation. It is regarded by the people of Liberia and Sierra Leone as the embodiment of kindly wisdom. It takes the place which the hare-otherwise " Brer Rabbit "- fills in the legends of Southern and Central Africa. The natives state -that three or four young are produced at a birth. The Manatee is common in most of the big rivers; and in the forests three species of Manis are met with, including Manis gigantea. Two species of Tree-Hyrax are found in the forest, and the woodland often echoes to their weird cries. It should be stated in a general way that the coast-regions of Liberia are exceedingly disappointing to the collector because of the remarkable absence of any form of bird or beast or even reptile. It is difficult to understand why there should be this extreme dearth, because the Americo-Liberians are not very keen about sport, nor have they any reason for desiring to |