Liberia <•- 



by one Liberlan that the forest near his settlement was full of 

 " peacocks." He intended to indicate by this term the Great 

 Blue Plantain-eater. Not one prominent bird or beast in that 

 country is known by its right name, 



A little more attention has of late been applied to botany, 

 and there have even been one or two interesting articles in the 

 Liberian press describing familiar plants of the country in their 

 correct (and consequently universal) Latin names. No portion 

 of Africa is more interesting for its biology than Liberia. The 

 Americo-Liberians may be proud of having inherited a rare piece 

 of Miocene Africa, one of the choicest morsels for the modern 

 naturalist. They may rejoice in a somewhat specialised fauna 

 and flora, and the present writer earnestly hopes that the new 

 generation will drop the attempt to translate Plato and Cicero, 

 will cease troubling about the vicissitudes of David, leave Israel 

 to wander in the wilderness, and devote itself whole-heartedly 

 to studying the fascinating folklore of the Vai, the religious 

 rites and ceremonies of the Grebo or the Gbalin, and the 

 marvellous Miocene flora and equally remarkable fauna to be 

 found within the limits of their 43,000 square miles. 



If the author of this book were a Liberian, he would strive 

 (within reason) to do everything as difi^erently as possible from 

 what is done in Europe, Asia, or America. He would try to 

 be original. For instance, if he were the Principal of the 

 Liberia College he would resolutely exclude " mortar-boards " 

 from the heads of his students, not only because they are an 

 unsuitable form of headgear, but because they happen to be the 

 mode adopted in England and America. He would try to 

 develop a special African architecture, an African school of 

 painting. He would certainly study and develop the inherent 

 musical talent evinced by many of the Liberian natives. He 

 would attempt to domesticate the Red Bush-pig, and not introduce 



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