-») Fauna : Invertebrates 



from the mangrove stalks and keep them for at least a fortnight 

 in sea-water, feeding them meantime on oatmeal. At the end 

 of a fortnight they were not only palatable and sufficiently salt 

 but perfectly wholesome. 



A "fresh-water oyster" of the Unto order — Aitheria — is 

 found in the St. Paul's, in the Cavalla, and no doubt in all 

 the other rivers of considerable size in Liberia, affixed to the 

 rocks of islands or banks, and occasionally to the roots of trees 

 growing in the water. 



Earthworms {Oligochatd) are represented by the striking 

 genus Acanthodrilus. According to Biittikofer, examples of 

 these worms grow to the length of a yard, and are about half 

 an inch in diameter. Though the present writer has observed 

 them frequently in Liberia, he never saw one of a greater length 

 than twelve to fourteen inches. On the other hand, the examples 

 he has collected are proportionately thicker than those mentioned 

 by Biittikofer. These earthworms are remarked even by un- 

 observant persons because of their brilliant colours, generally 

 a bright verditer blue. They are very active, and not easy or 

 pleasant to catch, as they readily slip through the fingers and 

 bury themselves in the soil. Moreover, when they feel them- 

 selves grasped they squirt from the pores of their body a 

 disgusting milky liquid which seems to be of a bitter or 

 irritating nature. This is very observable if the worm is 

 plunged into alcohol and feels itself at the point of death. It 

 then squirts out such a quantity of thick milky fluid as com- 

 pletely to obscure the liquid in which it is immersed. I'he 

 Liberians naturally believe this creature to be poisonous, and 

 in the minds of the natives it is a good deal confused with the 

 worm-like snakes, lizards, and amphibians described in th? 

 previous chapter. 



841 



