Fauna : Mammals 



Swinderenianus)} This is a creature nearly as large as a rabbit, 

 and resembling the rabbit also in its delicious flesh.^ It makes 

 a hare-like " form " in long grass or herbage. The fur is 

 coarse and bristly and of a grizzled black and yellow colour. 

 The clumsy thick head has rather small 

 eyes, but very striking incisor teeth, 

 strong, broad, and of a bright orange- 

 colour. The large nostrils are almost 

 depressed into a cavity of bare pink skin. 



The Carnivora of Liberia, so far as 

 they have yet been noted, consist of the 

 Leopard, Serval, Golden Cat, Civet, a 

 Genet and a Paradoxure, three kinds 

 of Ichneumon and two Otters. It is 

 possible that in addition the lion and 

 the spotted and striped hyaenas may be 

 found in the extreme northern parts of 

 the country, on the Mandingo Plateau. 



Several Mandingos from the far in- 

 terior whom I questioned persisted in 

 stating that the lion was known in their 

 country. They recognised pictures of 

 it and described it accurately ; but their 

 knowledge of this animal might very 

 well apply to regions of the Mandingo 

 country farther north, beyond the political 

 limits of Liberia. The lion, however, 



has its place in the folklore of all Western Liberia down to 

 the sea-coast. This may be because all these peoples came 



' Known as " koanya '' by the Vai. 



'' Why not try to acdimatise and breed the Thrynomys in Europe, say in France 

 and other Mediterranean countries, for the European food market ? It is a 

 hardy animal and would be a treat to any gourmet. 



699 



270. the african ground- 

 rat or octodont 

 (thrynomys) 



