32 
AFRICAN ANIMALS. 
of the most highly organized anthropoid apes, were specially African, 
besides which all the remaining genera of African monkeys were 
peculiar to that continent. As regards the carnivora, the larger cats 
of Africa (the lion, the leopard and the cheetah) were common to Africa 
and South Asia, but many of the genets, ichneumons and other smaller 
carnivorous animals were peculiar. The hyraxes or rock-coneys, small 
rodent-like animals, structurally allied to the rhinoceroses, were entirely 
restricted to the Ethiopian region. Of the elephants, which formed 
an order for themselves, one very distinct form—the African elephant 
—was entirely restricted to Africa. It was specially in the great 
order, ungulata, or hoofed animals, that the mammal-fauna of Africa 
exceeded all others in numbers and variety, as shown by the presence 
of rhinoceroses, zebras, buffaloes, antelopes, giraffes, hippopotamuses 
and wart-hogs throughout the continent and these were especially 
prevalent in what was called the Cape subregion, to various parts of 
which, in consequence, hunters after “ big game 33 had always turned 
their special attention. Of the varied group of antelopes nearly 100 
African species were now known, some of these, such as the koodoo, 
eland, sable and roan antelopes and waterbucks, being especially 
remarkable for size and beauty. In one district of British East Africa, 
which had been aptly named the hunter’s paradise, Mr. F. J. Jackson 
had catalogued upwards of 30 species of antelopes to be met with. In 
Somaliland, Captain S wayne" had louud nearly an equal number. The 
hippopotamus, also belonging to the ungulates, was met with in all the 
principal rivers and lakes of Africa, but not elsewhere. A second 
small hippopotamus was found only in one river in Liberia. The wart- 
hogs and river-liogs were the peculiar Ethiopian forms of the pig-family 
and the order of edentates was represented by the ant-bears, which 
were restricted to this continent and by several species of Manis or 
Pangolin. Thus there could be no question that Africa, south of the 
Sahara, was emphatically the land of big mammals. In conclusion, 
the lecturer pointed out the very serious diminution of the larger 
African mammals, especially of the Antelopes caused by the progress 
of civilization and by the slaughter of the sportsman, and insisted on 
the necessity of the nations of Europe, who had lately parcelled out 
the African continent amongst themselves, instituting stringent 
regulation for the protection of the larger mammals in their various 
colonies and protectorates. 
The proceedings concluded with a hearty vote of thanks to the 
lecturer. 
