Liberia ^«- 



(without positive proof) that the Orycteropus is found in parts of 

 Senegambia and the drier regions of the Niger as well as in 

 some parts ot the Congo Basin, no trace of it has yet been 

 reported from any part of the west coast region of the 

 African continent or from Liberia. Consequently, the only 

 " edentates " we have to consider in our review of the Liberian 

 mammalia are the three species of Manis. 



The Miinida' of the order Pholidota are absolutely toothless, 

 not even displaying any traces of teeth in the embryo. Except 

 on the under-surface and inside the limbs, the skin is covered 

 v/ith an overlapping armament ot large imbricated scales. These 

 scales are little more than compressed hair cemented together by 

 epidermic cells. In the embryo the scales, in tact, would seem 

 to begin as lozenge-shaped patches of agglomerated hair. They 

 are therefore very similar in composition to the " horn " of the 

 rhinoceros. They differ from the armament of armadilloes 

 or other South American edentates in that they do not 

 contain any bony substance. There is a slig;ht ridge generally 

 down the centre of each scale which ends in a blunt point. 

 In addition to this, in one species, Manis tricuspis^ the terminal 

 edge of the body scales (it is not so marked in those ot the 

 tail) possesses two other point-like projections or cusps. One 

 is always warned by the natives in Africa to be careful in 

 taking up a Manis that it does not suddenly straighten itself 

 and pinch one's fingers between the edges of the scales. This 

 seems to be its only method of offence, as apparently it does not 

 use the strong and very long claws of the feet for scratching 

 its enemies. 



The Manis is the only " edentate " which at the present 

 day extends its range into Asia. Several species are found 

 in India, Ceylon, and Southern China. They diff^er from 

 the African forms in possessing remnants of an external ear, 



748 



