^ Fauna : Mammals 



the hair is glossy black. So far, this Colobus polycomus has 

 only been noted in the western regions of Liberia. A much 

 commoner species throughout the country is the Ursine Colobus 

 (C. ur sinus}. In this form the long tail is white, with a small 

 plume, and the mane on each side of the body is not very 

 long and is of a greyish colour. There is grey also on the 

 chest, in the long hairy whiskers, on the top of the head, and 

 on the outer side of the thighs. 



Colobus cristatus is perhaps the commonest of the thumbless 

 monkeys of Liberia. It is usually known as the Mangrove 

 monkey, because troops of it frequent the mangrove thickets. 

 Biittikofer describes it in his work on Liberia as Colobus verus 

 or versus. Verus was an alternative name given by Van Beneden 



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in 1838, but the correct designation is Colobus cristatus. Its 

 coloration is as follows : The head, neck, back, and base of 

 the tail are an olive-brown colour, the hairs being finely ringed 

 with black. This part of the fur sometimes assumes quite a 

 greenish tinge. The nape of the neck is dark brown, and the 

 fur under the tail round the black callosities of bare skin is 

 also rich dark umber. The long tail is grey, becoming almost 

 black at the tip. 



In the Red Colobus (C. ferrugineus) the back of the animal 

 down to about half-way on each side, and the top of the head, 

 are a bluish black or very dark grey. The whiskers, throat, 

 stomach, flanks, and the arms and legs are a rich chestnut 

 brown. The greater part of the tail is also this chestnut-brown, 

 but there is a patch of black on either side of the root of the 

 tail. The ears and the bare skin of the face are lead-grey, as 

 in most of the Colobi ; but the nose and lips are pale pinkish 

 white. 



Although the generic name <c Colobus " means " mutilated," 

 and is given to this group because the adult monkeys are 



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