AFRICA AND ITS ANIMALS 143 



closest. It is there alone that the other large manlike 

 ape the orang dwells ; and there is a group of brush- 

 tailed porcupines common to these two districts, and 

 unknown elsewhere throughout the wide world. Both 

 faunas, however, in all probability trace their descent from 

 the animals inhabiting Europe during the Pliocene and 

 Miocene epochs, among which was an extinct species of 

 water-chevrotain. As already mentioned, the okapi is 

 restricted to the forest area, as is the beautiful white-striped 

 bongo antelope, and its much smaller relative the zebra- 

 antelope. 



The other great sub- regions include the open grazing 

 grounds and mountains of South and East Africa, the fauna 

 of which is quite different from that of the equatorial forest- 

 tract. Minor divisions may also be recognised in this area, 

 the Cape having many animals not found farther north. 

 Among the latter are the extinct quagga, the pretty little 

 meerkat (Suricata), and the Cape sand-mole (Bathyergus), 

 which, by the way, has nothing to do with the true moles, 

 being a member of the rodent order. The tract as a whole 

 may be termed the east central sub-region ; and to it belong 

 the great hosts of antelopes, the zebras, and the aard-wolf 

 and hunting-dog. Very characteristic of the southern and 

 eastern parts of this tract are the beautiful golden moles 

 (Chrysochloris), unique among mammals for the lovely play 

 of iridescent colours on the fur, and which have nothing 

 in common with the moles of Europe and Asia. To 

 the northward, in Abyssinia, this tract is the home of 

 another very remarkable animal, the great gelada baboon 

 (Theropithecus\ easily recognised by the lionlike mantle of 

 long hair on the forequarters, whose nearest relative is 

 the Arabian baboon. 



Whether Somaliland should be included in this area, or 



