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The Mammals of Kilima-njaro. 
REAT interest attaches itself to Kilima-njaro, the mountain- 
mass in which equatorial Africa attains its highest develop- 
ment above the sea-level. At one time it was supposed, not 
unreasonably, that the investigation of its flora and fauna would 
materially assist in the solution of the problem of the former exten- 
sion of northern forms of life into southern latitudes. Such has not 
proved to be the case, so far as our explorations have at present gone. 
But the study of the organic forms of Kilima-njaro, and of the high 
district that surrounds it, has, nevertheless, resulted in the discovery 
of many unexpected facts in distribution ; and the recent publication 
of Mr. True’s account of the mammals collected by a well-known 
American explorer—Dr. Abbott—in that region (1), invites us to offer 
a few remarks on that particular branch of its fauna. 
The snows of Kilima-njaro were first observed, as is well known, 
by the German missionary, Rebmann, in 1848. Von der Decken, 
New, Fischer, and Joseph Thomson were the next four explorers 
who saw the mountain, and ascended its slopes to a greater or less 
extent ; but, except some bundles of dried plants, and a few insects 
and bird-skins! (obtained by Dr. Fischer), little if any information as 
to its natural history was derived from these expeditions. In 1883 
our ignorance of the fauna and flora of this specially interesting 
district was brought before the Royal Society and British Association 
by the writer, and a ‘“ Kilima-njaro Committee” was formed to 
endeavour to improve our knowledge of this subject. The result of 
the operations of this committee was the expedition of Mr. H. H. 
Johnston, in 1884. Mr. Johnston’s instructions were to proceed 
direct to Kilima-njaro and pitch his camp there, high up, for six 
months, and to collect as much as possible in the vicinity of the 
snow-line. Unfortunately, Mr. Johnston, although he carried out 
the committee’s directions as far as possible, was hampered by want 
of means. As he has explained to us in his most interesting and 
attractive narrative (2), being unaccompanied by European collectors, 
and failing to obtain the aid of native assistants, he was unable to 
accomplish all that could have been wished, in spite of his well- 
1 Among these were the first specimens of Turacus hartlaubi—a fine Touraco 
peculiar to Kilima-njaro. 
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