tuft of hair), and is dark brown. The eastern bay duiker is larger and heavier than the western bay duiker, with larger ears and darker coloration. The dorsal stripe is wider and lighter in color in the eastern bay duiker. The bay duiker is similar to several other duikers. The red duiker can not be readily distinguished from the bay duiker. Though Ogilby's duiker resembles the bay duiker in size and pelage color, the ventral side is paler and the dorsal stripe starts from the shoulders instead of the back of the head. Additionally, the body posture and horn characteristics of the two species differ to a large extent. The bay duiker, as well as the Ogilby's duiker, are remarkably similar to the black duiker, except for the pelage coloration. The dorsal stripe of Peters's duiker also begins at the shoulders but widens to cover the whole of the rump, as does the fainter stripe on the white-bellied duiker. The bay duiker can be easily told apart from the black-fronted duiker and Weyns's duiker, that lack stripes. Ecology and behavior The bay duiker is a nocturnal animal, and consequently little is known of its behavioral patterns. During the day, the bay duiker rests against trees or in thickets. It tends to remain solitary, but pairs can also be observed. The bay duiker exhibits remarkable alertness. It depends heavily on its sense of smell for foraging and detecting potential danger. Individuals communicate through preorbital gland secretions and excrement. The leopard is the main predator of this duiker. Eagles, bonobos and mandrills may also prey on the bay duiker. An alarmed individual becomes motionless, and might leap to flee. Diet The bay duiker mainly prefers fruits. It feeds on the large fruits of Irvingia species (wild mango), Detarium macrocarpum and the spherical fruits of Mammea africana. Other fruits the duiker may eat are those of Ricinodendron heudelotii and oil-palms, the orange ones of Chrysophyllum beguei, the olive-like ones of Pseudospondias longifolia, the green plums of Panda oleosa and those of Cola rostrata, that resemble cocoa pods. The bay duiker extracts the pulp from the seeds, making a grating sound. If the seeds are large, the duiker spits them out. Smaller seeds such as those of Antrocaryon species may be ingested. A 1989 study found that the soft seeds of plants such as Drypetes gossweileri, Staudtia gabonensis, Dacryoides buettneri, Ongokea gore, Santiria trimera,