WA TER- CHE VR O TAIN 387 



sole African representative being the present species, which, although 

 long believed to be restricted to the west coast, is now known to range 

 right through the equatorial forest -tract. From the typical Asiatic 

 chevrotains, the water -chevrotain is mainly distinguished by its 

 shorter and stouter hoofs, the larger lateral hoofs, and the absence of 

 a true cannon-bone in the lower segment, or shank, of the fore-legs, in 

 which the two component bones remain separate instead of fusing 

 together as in more typical ruminants. The African species, which is 

 the only existing member of the genus, has but six pairs of lower 

 cheek-teeth, whereas in the fossil European species, on which the genus 

 Dorcatherium was originally founded, there are seven pairs. 



The water-chevrotain is the largest existing representative of the 

 group, standing about 13 or 14 inches at the shoulder. In common 

 with those of other members of the family, the males have long upper 

 tusks, but the females are quite unarmed. The limbs are extremely 

 slender and delicate, the ears small and rounded, and the tail short and 

 bushy. The general colour of the moderately long and rather coarse 

 fur is olive-grey, profusely spotted and striped on the body with white 

 or yellow, the thick and irregular stripes being longitudinal in direction, 

 and for the most part confined to the flanks. There are, however, 

 large areas of white or yellowish on the throat and chest, while the 

 whole under surface of the tail is also white or straw-coloured. 



On the west coast the range of the water-chevrotain extends from 

 the Gambia to the Cameroons, while it stretches eastwards through the 

 forest-region to the Ituri, where specimens were obtained by Major 

 P. H. G. Powell-Cotton. In the Zoological Society's Proceedings for 

 1 906 (vol. i. p. 113)! have suggested that there may be three local 

 races of water-chevrotain, distinguished as follows : 



First, the typical Gambian race, in which the markings on the 

 under surface of the chin, throat, and chest are white, and the face is 

 uniformly chestnut or nearly so. The white markings on the back 

 and flanks are fully developed ; there is a very distinct white flank- 

 band running from the shoulder along the flanks to join the transverse 

 loin-band, below which are two other flank-bands ; the spots on the back 

 form distinct and continuous transverse bands ; and the tail has much 

 brown above. From this the Ituri race (Dorcatlierium aquaticum cottoni) 

 differs by the light markings on the back and flanks being less distinct 

 and less numerous ; the flank-band yellow instead of white, and almost 

 disappearing midway between the head and fore-limbs ; the absence of 

 flank-bands below it ; the spots on the back less distinctly in the form 

 of bands ; and the tail having a very large amount of white, and being 



