Zoological researches in Liberia. Fourth list of Birds

Mr. F. X. Stampfli, whom I left in Liberia at the end of May 1887, repatriated last summer and brought home an important number of Birds skins, most of which are collected at three stations: Owen’s Grove, Mount Olive and Gallilee Mountain on the Farmington River. Only relatively few have been obtained at our old station at Schieffelinsville (March 1888) and at Paynesville on the Messurado River (April 1888). The Farmington River is a very important confluent of the Junk River, having its general direction about parallel with the Du Queah River and joining its water with that of the main river half a mile above the mouth of the latter, and seven or eight miles lower than the Du Queah. Going up the Farmington River by canoe, both banks are flat and covered with impenetrable Mangrove-swamps, but after a few miles the banks become higher, the swamps have disappeared and forests, intermixed with grassy plains and some well-cultivated plantations of Liberian Missionaries, have entirely changed the aspect of the country. Farther up the river the banks are becoming still higher and very rocky, the whole country is hilly, even mountainous and the river forms a whole series of rapids and roaring waterfalls, caused by the same range of mountains as those of the Du Queah. The highest elevation of this part of the country is the Gallilee Mountain, about 1200 feet above the sea, and entirely covered with primeval forest. From his residences Mount Olive and Owen’s Grove (two of the mentioned Missionnary Stations) Mr. Stanlpfli made several excursions to this district, where the river, at some places, is not more than 4 miles distant from the Du Queah.