1905.| ON THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE OKAPI. 309 
2. Notes on the Geographical Distribution of the Okapi. 
By Dr. E1yar Loénnpere, C.M.Z.8. 
[Received August 28, 1905. | 
I have had the pleasure recently of meeting my compatriot 
Lieutenant Karl Eriksson, who delivered to Sir Harry Johnston 
the first skull and skin of the Okapi. I took this opportunity of 
asking Lieutenant Eriksson about the distribution of this remark- 
able animal, and his reply was that he believed it to be distributed 
practically over the whole of the “ equatorial forest” of the 
Congo Free State. He showed me on the map of the Congo 
basin appended to Mr. Boulenger’s work, ‘ Les Poissons du Bassin 
du Congo’ *, the approximate limits of this area of distribution. 
Tf we begin at the River Ubangi in the west about midway 
between Mobena and Jmese, from there the limit extends north- 
east towards Businga at the River Likame or somewhat north of 
that place, and then more east to the River Uele just before it 
joins the River Ubangi. From that place and eastward the 
River Uele is the northern limit to a point about midway 
between Amadi and Suruaugo. From there it turns south-east, 
passing somewhat east of Mawambi, and continuing to a point a 
little west of Karimi. Not much south of this, the most eastern 
point of the great forest, the boundary-line turns westward 
again and crosses the great Congo River at Ponthierville, and 
continues westward a little south of Tschuapa River, but bends 
by-and-by a little north, so that it passes on the northern side 
of Bolondo towards Coquilhatville. It is evident that this is 
only a rough outline of the area of distribution of the Okapi, but 
it may hold good in a general way. 
Outside this boundary-line there are many forest-clad areas, 
but they are not extensive, and Lieutenant Eriksson does not 
believe that they are inhabited by the Okapi. It is an in- 
habitant of the great forest, but does not live everywhere in it. 
Tts regular pasture-grounds are open glades in the forest, where 
rivulets with shallow water expand and produce a rich growth of 
grass. This grass and the leaves of the bushes and undergrowth 
under the trees, which are especially luxuriant in such places, may 
form the principal food of the Okapi. Although a shallow sheet 
of water expands over the very flat ground to greater or less 
extent in these glades, there are noswamps. ‘The soil is hard and 
firm 7, which explains the shape of the hoofs of the animal. 
Lieutenant Eriksson has not seen the Okapi in a living state in 
its natural surroundings, as probably no white man ever has or is 
likely to do. But he has, while on his marches during the night, 
* Bruxelles, 1901. 
+ Because gravel or hard red earth lies quite near the surface. 
