4446 THE ZooLocist—May, 1875. 
to Dr. Beke, and this traveller relied for his information on hearsay 
evidence, and plainly tells the reader to use his own discretion as 
to believing the account. It should, however, be borne in mind 
that Herodotus, whose statements have been wonderfully verified, 
speaks of a similar race of pigmies. I only extract small portions 
of Dr. Beke’s description. “The Dokos, both men and women, 
are no taller than boys nine or ten years of age. They never exceed 
that height. They go quite naked. Their principal food is ants, 
snakes and mice. They are very skilful in finding out ants and 
snakes. They are so fond of this food that even when [in 
slavery] they have become acquainted with better aliment, they 
are frequently punished for following their inclination of digging 
in search of ants and snakes as soon as they get out of sight of 
their masters. They tie the skins of snakes round their necks as 
ornaments. They also climb trees with great skill to fetch down 
the fruits, and in doing this, stretch their hands downwards and 
their legs upwards. They live in extensive forests of bamboo and 
other woods, which are so thick that the slave-hunter finds it 
difficult to follow them in these retreats. These hunters sometimes 
discover a great number of Dokos sitting on the trees, and then 
they use the artifice of showing them shining things, by which 
they are enticed to descend, when they are captured without 
difficulty. As soon as a Doko begins to cry he is killed, from the 
apprehension that this, as a sign of danger, will cause the others 
to take to their heels. The Dokos live mixed together, men and 
women unite aud separate as they please. The mother suckles 
the child only so long as she is unable to find ants and snakes 
for its food. No rank or order exists amongst the Dokos. Nobody 
orders, nobody obeys, nobody defends the country, nobody cares 
for the welfare of the nation. They make no attempt to secure 
themselves, but by running away. They are as quick as monkeys. 
They are very sensible of the misery prepared for them by the 
slave-hunters, who so frequently encircle their forests and drive 
them from thence into the open plains like beasts. They put 
their heads to the ground, and stretching their legs upwards, cry 
in a pitiful manner, ‘ Yer, yer!’” 
Epwarp NEWMAN. 
