Liberia * 



Eliom\f and Clirciglis}. The two dormice Graphiurus (Eliomys) 

 crassicaudatus and C. (.) nagtglasii are distinguished from 



.Murus hueti by having bushy tails ; whereas in the more 

 distinctive driiphiurus type the tail is not very long, is rather 

 rat-like, and tufted or pencilled at the end. 



Hiittikofer records nine species of true mice from Liberia, 

 including the hateful brown rat of world-wide distribution 

 (which, however, is only met with on the coast, where of course 

 it has landed from ships), the common black rat, which here, 

 as throughout Tropical Africa, has become the house rat of the 

 native huts, and the Alexandrine rat of Egypt little else than 

 a variety of the black rat, but differently coloured, with a white 

 belly and reddish grey fur above. A mouse (Mus musculoides} 

 very like (but smaller than) the common house-mouse of Europe 

 and Asia is present in Liberia. Here, however, it leads a life 

 more resembling in habits that of the harvest mouse. The 

 pretty Barbary mouse, white below and striped horizontally 

 with blackish brown on yellow-brown above, is also a native of 

 this country. 



A little larger than the true rats is the Pouched Rat, 

 CricetomysgambianuS) which is distinguishable from them at once 

 by its outward appearance. It has a yellowish brown colour, 

 with white under-parts and a white tail, which is hairy and 

 not scaly like a rat's tail. This creature is called " bush rat " 

 by the Americo-Liberians. According to Biittikofer, it lives 

 in deserted ant-hills, and as elsewhere in Africa, is very fond 

 of burrowing under native paths or smooth places devoid of 



ration. The natives are clever at following up these burrows 

 and catching the bush rat, which they eat. Its habit of sitting 

 upright on the long feet with the tail as part of the tripod is 

 kangaroo-like, as is also its method of progression, which is 

 generally by leaps from the strong hind-limbs. 



696 



