ORDER EDENTATA: EDENTATES 185 



ever a recent track is met with, the animal is traced to its hole and 

 dug out if possible, as the flesh, which is extremely fat, is esteemed 

 so great a delicacy that the law requires that every khaaka which 

 is killed shall be brought to the Chief." 



Referring to this same general region, A. Smith says (1849, text to 

 pi. 7) : "Only one solitary specimen of this species was obtained by 

 the expedition before reaching 26 south latitude, and but two more 

 between that parallel and the tropic of Capricorn .... Its extreme 

 scarcity probably arises from its having long been zealously sought 

 after by the natives .... Whenever a specimen ... is secured, 

 it is immediately burned in some cattle pen, which, according to 

 the opinion of the sacrificer, tends to increase the health and fertility 

 of all cattle who may afterwards enter the fold. Not many years 

 ago a specimen was captured in the northern part of the Cape 

 colony." 



"I have seen a dry skin from Upington " (Shortridge, 1934, vol. 2, 

 p. 665) . In Griqualand West the animal is now very scarce, and the 

 scales are used by the natives as medicine (McGregor Museum, 

 Kimberley, in litt., June, 1937) . 



South-West Africa. In the Omaheke and the Kaukauveld it is 

 widespread but rather rare; skins are seen occasionally among the 

 natives. It is also reported by Bushmen in the Hukweveld. (Zu- 

 kowsky, 1924, p. 68.) 



"The Pangolin occurs throughout South-West Africa," but is 

 "never plentiful. . . . 



"It is apparently most numerous north of the Tropic of Capricorn 

 and in the sand-plains adjoining Bechuanaland. 



"Rare in the vicinity of the Orange River and in the southern 

 parts of Great Namaqualand. . . . 



"Pangolin scales (used as charms) were not infrequently seen in 

 the possession of Bushmen and other natives." (Shortridge, 1934, 

 vol. 2, p. 665.) 



Angola. Monard (1935, p. 183) records two specimens from the 

 region between the upper Kului and the Kubango, where the natives 

 report the animal as rather common. Monard also mentions (p. 185) 

 specimens recorded by Bocage from Caconda and Mossamedes. 



Transvaal. "A number of examples have been sent to the National 

 Zoological Gardens, chiefly from the Rustenburg and Marico districts 

 of the Transvaal" (Haagner, 1920, p. 237). 



"ISIever very common and probably scarcer now as a result of 

 closer settlement. There is a demand for its scales by native witch 

 doctors for 'medicine/ as much as six pence per scale being paid, 

 so that this leads to a considerable amount of destruction of the 

 animal. Being entirely useful and harmless it should receive more 

 protection than is actually accorded it .... (Not included in the 



