202 SIR HARRY H. JOHNSTON ON [Mar. 21, 



(whidi the Mandingos call Giisu), the Koan Antelope (Mandingo : 

 Mina), and Golnts singsmg. The Mandingos know of the Girafie, 

 which is no doubt present in the extreme northern part of Liberia. 

 The Red Biish-Pig {Potamochmrus penicilkaus) is abundant 

 th.roughout Liberia. It is occasionally tamed by the natives, and 

 is said to interbreed freely with the domestic swine. I noticed 

 one very emious point regarding the domestic pigs which Avere so 

 common an object in the streets of Americo-Liberian towns on the 

 coast. These pigs seem to be the degenerate descendants of 

 European breeds, introduced originally no doubt by the Portuguese, 

 the I Jutch, and the English . It occurs very frequently in the litters 

 of these pigs that the young are striped and spotted with white, 

 exactly like the young of the "Wild Boar. I have seen it stated 

 generally that the Domestic Pig was never marked with white like 

 the young of the wild species of the genera Sths and Potamocluerus, 

 Whether this feature in the domestic pigs of Liberia is caused by 

 their reverting to the condition of the Avild stock of Europe from 

 which they sprang, or whether it is in any way due to mixture 

 with the Red Pig, I cannot say positively ; but the parents of 

 these spotted young were emphatically European domestic pigs in 

 origin, and did not betray in themselves the slightest intermixture 

 with the Red Bush-Pig. But I know that on the Congo and in 

 the l^igev Delta cases of interbreeding between the Red Bush- Pig 

 and the domestic swine are occasionally I'eported. 



Libei'ia, in common with Sierra Leone and perhaps the Ivory 

 Coast and Gold Coast, boasts of one of the most interesting of 

 African mammals, the Dorcatherium aquaticum, the Water- 

 Chevrotain. The eastern range of this animal has not yet been 

 determined. I ne^-er remember hearing that it had been found 

 to the east of the Gold Coast, but perhaps this is simply due to 

 oversight. The Dorcatherium is faii-ly common in the interioi- of 

 Sierra Leone, and I believe is occasionally found in Portuguese 

 Guinea and the adjoining regions of French Senegambia,. It is 

 fairly common in Liberia, though excessively difficult to capture. 

 It lives a good deal in the water, in which its body is often 

 immersed. It is said by the natives to conceal itself most cleverly 

 amongst the water vegetation. It is regarded by the people of 

 Liberia and Sierra Leone as the embodiment of kindly wisdom. 

 It takes the place which the hare — otherwise "Brer Rabbit" — 

 fills in the legends of Southern and Central Africa. The natives 

 state that three oi- four young are produced at a birth. 



The Manatee is common in most of the big rivers ; and in the 

 foi'ests three species of Ilanis are met with, including Manis 

 gigantea. Two species of Tree-Hyrax are found in the forest, 

 and the woodland often echoes to their weird cries. 



It should be stated in a general way that the coast-regions of 

 Liberia are exceedingly disappointing to the collector because 

 of the remarkable absence of any form of bird or beast or even 

 reptile. It is difficult to understand why there should be this 

 extreme dearth, because the Americo-Liberians are not very 

 keen about sport, nor have they any reason foi- desiring to 



