BEESWAX CATTLE AND POULTRY 91 



similar to that in common use in Sierra Leone, Northern 

 Nigeria, and the Gambia. 



BEESWAX. Bees are attracted to hive in calabashes 

 placed in trees, the honey and wax being taken from them 

 and sold in the markets. The bee belongs to a small 

 variety of Apis mellifera, known as var. Adansonii. A 

 sample of beeswax obtained at Tamale was examined at 

 the Imperial Institute, and proved to be of excellent 

 quality and worth 6 15s. per cwt. (Dec. 1908). 



LEATHER. Tanning of sheep and goats' skins is done 

 to a small extent, the same process as that described for 

 the preparation of Kano leather in Northern Nigeria 

 being followed. The Acacia pods used for the purpose 

 are obtained from trees often found planted in the 

 middle of towns. 



CATTLE AND POULTRY. A large breed of cattle 

 with a dorsal hump exists in the Salaga district, and a 

 straight-backed smaller kind throughout the country to 

 the north. Although " tsetse " flies of three species are 

 common on the stream banks, the cattle seem to be 

 healthy for the most part, and often form part of a 

 caravan travelling to the forest belt, where a good price 

 is said to be obtained for them from the Ashantis. They 

 are usually killed for food very soon after entering the 

 forest, where they can no longer be kept free from the 

 attacks of the three species of " tsetse " (Glossina mor si- 

 tans, G. palpalis, and G. pattidipes), all of which seem to 

 attack them. Horses are bred in some parts, but not to a 

 large extent. Wire-haired sheep and goats are seen every- 

 where, and can be obtained in many places at a low 

 price. 



Fowls and Guinea-fowls are reared in several villages, 

 and are carried to the south for sale. Long open-work 

 baskets are used, and the fowls are usually conveyed as 

 head-loads. Guinea-fowls, purchasable for threepence 

 each in some of the villages south of Daboya, are sold at 

 four or five shillings each near the coast. No coops 

 seem to be employed in the villages to confine the 

 guinea-fowls, which habitually roost upon the house-tops 

 and which may frequently be seen in the adjoining fields. 

 They are scarcely distinguishable from the wild birds 

 which occur usually in the same localites. There is, 

 however, a marked tendency on the part of the domesti- 



