The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-11-15


the Abyssinian frontiers are his most
successful hunters. They ride him
down at racing speed and hamstrine
him with their broadswords. In such
a chase the giraffe runs with a bound.
ing trot, unlike that of horse in that
he moves,his two legs on either side
in the same direction simultaneously.
If only a young giraffe can be cap.
tured it'can be nursed by common
American COW until mature.
The true zebra is among the African
animals especially desired. It is now
almost extinct and many difficulties
will be met in capturing one in avid
state. The few now remaining are
scattered in the highest mountains Of
Bechuanaland and Caffraria, near the
present seat Of war. The true zebra
never descends into theIplains. While
its herds pasture upon the steep hill
sides, several are always posted on the
steepest outlying crags to give note
of alarm at the furthest approach Of
danger. The natives can capture
them only With lassoes. An effort
will be made to obtain good specimens
of the nearly extinct quagga, closely
resembling the zebra. His head and
foreparts are marked with stripes,
which, however, grows more and more
indistinct toward his hind extremi-
ties. His name and tail are white.
The few existing to-day will be found
below the Vaal, near the Boer cities.
A popularity of the quagga is his
fondness for the ostrich, with whom
he is always accompanied in his trav-
els. The dwarf bushmen and the ma
tives Of Bechuanaland-just west Of
the Transvaal-relish his yellow, oily
flesh.
The dark continent will contribute
an African elephant, type distinctly
different. from the Asiatic species,
commonly seen in our menageries and
Zoos. The African elephant is heard
of in modern times only as wild
beast, although the ancient Romans
domesticated him and trained him for
their wars. His forehead is convex
rather than concave, like that of the
Asiatic; his ears are very much lar
ger and are turned back over his head;
his tusks are thicker and longer, and
his skin is deep black rather than
gray. He has been known to grow a
central tusk. He is very ferocious and
in captivity will be difficult to manage
at first.
Our consular representatives are re-
requested to procure the fast disap-
pearing African buffalo, once distrib-
uted south of the Equator. He re-
sembles a huge black OK, but has
thicker horns Joined over his forehead.
Native hunters, who must now go to
the Matabele country to find him,
agree that he is the most dangerous Of
their forest beasts. Hearing the ap-
proach Of foes, he craftily hidesin the
thicket and awaits an opportunity to
make a furious dash. After falling
from wounds he suddenly rises to re-
new battle, tossing his surprised vic
tim high in the air and trampling him
to death. The natives locate his herds
by a peculiar sound made by rub
bing their horns against the forest
trees.
The most diabolically hideous of the
hundreds of creatures wanted from the
land of the negro is the wart hog. A
name Of long bristles covers his spine.
Below his savage tusks he wears
growth Of long, white whiskers. His
eyes, high in his head and elevated
corners, are made more devilish by
long black brows and lashes. He de-
rivec his name from an added adorn-
ment of huge, Aeshy warts behind his
eyes and along his nose.
Other interesting and valuable quad
ruped freaks to be sought in Africa
are the zorill, a strange species Of
skunk, tanned by the natives as rat
ters and mousers; the North African
ichnuemon, or "Pharaoh rat, which
feeds on lizards, snakes. rats and 9TH
er pests unpopular with humanity,
and, therefore, paid divine honors by
the ancient Egyptians; and the aark
vark, or African ground hog, which
feeds upon insects and erects little
dome.shaped mud huts.
The list prepared for officials in the
new possessions indicates that expan-
sion Of our animal kingdom will be
elaborately illustrated at the National
Zoo.
A manatee, or "sea- cow is badly
wanted from the West Indies. This