Page:Travels in West Africa, Congo Français, Corisco and Cameroons (IA travelsinwestafr00kingrich).pdf/744



, on returning from her first visit to the West Coast of Africa in 1894, brought with her a miscellaneous collection of zoological specimens, sufficiently large to show the interest she took in the fauna of the countries visited by her. Last year she started again from England, with the object of extending her travels in the interior of the Gaboon country; and as she intended to follow during a part of this expedition the course of the Ogowé River, she readily fell in with my view that an opportunity of collecting the fishes of this mighty river should not be lost. The means of preserving and transporting the specimens were naturally limited, as Miss Kingsley travelled alone with a native crew; besides, whilst traversing the region of the rapids, which extends over some hundred of miles, the upsetting of her canoe was a matter of frequent occurrence. Nevertheless she succeeded in bringing home in excellent condition a collection of eighteen species of Reptiles and about sixty-five species of Fishes, which will be enumerated or described in this paper, besides a number of other, especially entomological, specimens.

During a temporary stay at Old Calabar and a visit to the island of Corisco some freshwater fishes were added to the main collection from the Ogowé River. These will be also embodied in the present paper, whilst the marine species, being all well known, are omitted.