2. MAMMALS 



by 

 EINAR LONNBERG. 



With 7 plates. 



The knowledge about the mammalian fauna of Africa has taken great strides during 

 the last years. The old opinion that there was only one species of each mammalian 

 type, so to say, for instance, one species of african elephant, one kind of giraffe, one 

 species of spotted hysena etc. is now a thing of the past, although it was the prevailing 

 opinion about 20 years ago, or less. It is now generally acknowledged that within the 

 different geographical districts of Africa different forms of mammals have been developed 

 This great change of opinion could only be based on and proved by a great material 

 such as has been collected in the later years especially in the museums of Berlin and of 

 London. The keepers of the mammalian departments of these museums Professor P. 

 MATSCHIE and Dr OLDFIELD THOMAS have also succeeded together with their fellow 

 workers and scholars to bring about the great change of opinion concerning the mam- 

 malian fauna of Africa. But it is quite clear that in so few years it could not be 

 possible to obtain sufficient material from all parts of this vast continent to elucidate 

 all different questions. There are thus still great gaps in our knowledge which must be 

 gradually filled. These gaps are the greater as the works of earlier authors cannot give 

 full information about the mammals described in them, if the type specimens are not 

 kept; or proper regard cannot be taken to them, because the species of former days 

 was often, if not always, a collective idea according to our present comprehension. The 

 difficulty of understanding earlier works without accession to the types is increased 

 by the fact that some mammals have developed a great many different forms so that 

 almost every little geographical district is provided with its own typical race of the 

 same. Others are less variable and have, as it seems, only developed a few different 

 races each with a great area of distribution, or, finally, is a species in the old meaning 

 in one part of the continent split up in many different races and in another more con- 

 stant over a great area. To give a list or a synopsis of the mammals of a certain district 

 of Africa is thus only possible in such a case as when its fauna has been fully studied during 

 the last years, and is completely known. This is not the case with the Kilimandjaro- 

 Meru district and I must therefore refrain from doing more than classifying and dis- 



SjosterJts Kilimandjaro-Meru Kj-/>i<litt<ni. 2. 



