MAMMALS OF LIBERIA 609 
Liberia. Its extraordinary manner of standing on tiptoe, so that the lateral toes 
do not come near the ground is well shown. Biittikofer remarks that although it 
is said to eat fish (probably an inference from its aquatic habits), he found only 
grass in the stomach. We were told that the natives hunt them with dogs in 
May and June when the streams are lowest. 
BOVIDAE Antelopes, Cattle, Sheep 
Neotragus pygmaeus (Linné). Pygmy Antelope; “Jack” 
Capra pygmaea Linné, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, p. 69, 1758: Guinea. 
Small, total length about 580 mm., tail 75, height at shoulder 300 (about 12 inches); body, 
limbs, sides of neck, and throat bright orange rufous, the head, ears, neck, and fore shoulders dull 
brown; belly and under side of tail white. Sierra Leone to southern Nigeria. 
This is the Cephalophus spinigera of Bittikofer’s Reisebilder, but he ap- 
parently did not secure specimens. In the Liberian folklore it takes the place of 
‘““Br’er Rabbit” for quickness and sagacity. We had several specimens brought 
in to us at Gbanga, and Merikay, a few miles away. At the latter place we par- 
ticipated in a hunt for these small antelopes, in which the whole village entered. 
Several men assembled in the forenoon, after the game is supposed to be lying 
up for the heat of the day. Each man had a large net with a mesh of several 
inches somewhat like a tennis net, but about six feet high. Accompanied by 
beaters and men with bows and arrows, we all set forth for an area of dense 
swampy thickets, where along certain well-known trails, the nets were erected 
along a line of several hundred feet, net joined to net. The bowmen were 
stationed behind the nets and when all was ready the beaters spread out in line 
at some distance away, and advanced toward the nets shouting and crashing 
through the jungle. Any antelopes that happen to be within the area covered, 
are driven toward the net and entangled in it or shot before they can escape. 
When the first area is covered, the nets are moved on to a second, until the vari- 
ous plots of thicket have been hunted out. Although we had little luck, one or 
two antelopes were started but escaped by doubling back through the none too 
enthusiastic beaters. A day or two later the men tried again and brought us a 
couple of specimens. On September 22, at Gbanga, a very small young one 
(No. 450, p. 611), hardly able to stand, was brought to us that had been captured 
in the forest near, while on the following day the hunters at Merikay captured 
an adult female containing a large foetus. ‘The mammae in this species are 
four, inguinal. 
Cephalophus sylvicultrix (Afzelius). Yellow-backed Duiker 
Antilope sylvicultrix Afzelius, Nova Acta Soc. Upsala, vol. 7, p. 265, pl. 8, 1815: Sierra Leone. 
Largest of the genus, about the size of a large goat but stockier; general color black, with a 
broad yellowish band on the lower half of spine; a tuft of coarse hair at the occiput chestnut; horns 
short and stout, about 4 inches long. Sierra Leone to Fanti. 
This is the largest of this genus of stockily-built bush antelopes, of which no 
less than seven species are known from Liberia. All are dwellers in thickets and 
