84 ON THE MAMMALS OF SOUTHERN CAMEKOONS. [Feb. 7, 



dry grass in bushes, 4 or 5 feet from the ground. When meat is 

 scarce, the village boys often hunt " mebok " for food. They 

 generally hunt them at dusk, when they (the rats) begin to stir 

 abroad, killing them with sticks or with bow and arrow, or sur- 

 rounding them in the weeds and driving them into a net, or under 

 an old cloth or piece of bark. This hunting "mebok" is a gi-eat 

 sport with the village boys. Owls often come around villages at 

 dusk, probably for the same purpose. 



The tiny Dendromus messorius likewise makes a nest in the 

 weeds and grass around villages ; its nests are nearer the ground 

 than those of the " abok," 



The pretty little striped Arvicanthis pulchellus also lives in the 

 weeds and grass around villages, often coming right into the 

 village street, when that is weedy. It is not found within 60 or 

 70 miles of the coast, where the village clearings are smaller and 

 more scattered than they are farther inland. The people call it 

 " ze-fo," or leopard-mouse, from its bright colour. There is a 

 proverb to the effect that " you do not need to tell the leopard- 

 mouse where to turn off the path." 



The little red Lophuromys sikapusi is another inhabitant of the 

 bushes and grass tliat grow only about villages. It is a curious 

 fact that most of the examples of this species caught have stumpy 

 tails or no tails at all. The notion of the people about it is, that 

 Avhenever the " ekui " (as they call this mouse) crosses a path it 

 loses its tail. 



The " nsomian" {^Deotnys ferrugineiis) is trapped, as the others 

 thus far mentioned are, in old cleared land about villages ; but it 

 seems to live also in the forest. I have seen one caught by 

 smoking it out of a hollow tree. 



The " ndon " [Malacotnys longipes) is an inhabitant of the 

 forest, where it is often caught in dead-fall traps set for the lai-ge 

 rodent " koe." 



The " koe " {Cricetomys gamhianus) lives in burrows in the 

 forest. Ti'apping it is considered a pui'suit worthy of men, while 

 other Muridpe are left for boys. Men go on camping-trips far 

 into the forest for this purpose, finding a place where the " koe " 

 are abundant, and there setting many traps and staying several 

 days, drying the bodies of their catch over the fire, to take back to 

 the village and store for future use. I have heard, when passing 

 along a forest-path at dusk, a little piping or squeaking noise that 

 my guide said was made by the " koe." 



The Black Rat has been introduced, and has established itself 

 in the villages at and near the coast. It has not yet got more 

 than fifty miles inland. 



The Brush-tailed Porcupine {Atherura africana). 



Porcupines hide in rocky places, under and between the rocks, 

 and in hollow logs. They are found in such places in the day- 

 time, and are said to walk abroad only at night. They are hunted 



