The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-08-13
LIVE HELLADOTHERIUM
JoHNSToN'S DISCOVERY OF A NEW
MAMMAL IN THE CONGO FORESTS.

which, in Its living form. is entirely
new to science. says the London
Times 1t is the size of an OK. and is
distinctly related to the giraffe. This
remarkable creature. in fact appears.
so far as cursory examination of it's
skin and skull may guide us. TO be Il
living representative of the HelladOth-
erium, n creature found i'm the fossil
state in Greece and Asia Minor and
supposed to be extinct. The Hella-
dotherium was thought to be rela-
ton to the giraffe. smaller in size.
with shorter neck. and without any
marked development of those horn
cores which in the giraffe represent
the pedicles from Which. far back in
Tie history of the genus. kind OF
antlcr formerly spraug.
Sir Harry Johnston has at last So
cured. through the kindness Of the
Belgian authorities at the frontier
post of Fort Mbeni complete skin
and two skulls OF this animal. which
is now shown to be not AT all Il horse,
but cloveu-hOofed ruminant of eX-
traOrdinary coloratiOn and appearance.
which seemingly is either of the eX-
tinct genus Helladotherium. or is some
closely allied creature belonging to
that somewhat vaguely defined group
of which the giraffe is an eXnmplar.
The skin and the skulls which have
been forwarded by Sir Harry John
ston to the British Museum were OBJ
tanned by native soldiers Of the Congo
Free State in the vicinity of Fort Mbeni,
and were very kindly presented TO Sir
Harry Johnston by Mr. *. Ericsson, q
Swedish officer in the service oe that
State, who has until recently been the
Commandant at Fort Mbcui.
The complete skin sent home now
shows the animal to be colored in the
most extraordinary manner. The
cheeks Of the rather large head are
yellOwish white, and the tapering
muzzle is backish brown. The fore
head is n most vivid red, narrowing
down into a thin black line continued
along the ridge OF the nose to the nos
trils. The long ass-like ears are of a
deep reddish brown, with silky black
fringes. The neck, shoulders. stomach
and back are deep reddish brown.
which in parts has almost a crimson
tinge, and in others becomes black
ish. The headquarters and hind legs.
down to the hooks. and the front legs
from the elbow to the wrist Joint are
boldly striped in purplish black and
white, the white having here and there
faint touches of orange. The hind legs
from the hook downward are of
creamy color. The front legs are also
cream color. but bold black line
runs down the front OF the leg in an
. Oblique manner. The fetlocks of all
four feet are black and cream color
The tail is bright reddish brown. with
a black tuft at the end. There are no
horns, but it may be seen from the
skulls that far back in its history
this creature possessed three horn
cores similar to those of the giraffe,
but by long disuse these horn cores
have degenerated into rounded bumps
on the skull two OF them being stu
ated n little above the eyes. and one
at the beginning of the nasal bones.
On the skin. Just over the two big
ger. bumps. are two tiny and comical
little twists Of hair, which represent
all that remains Outwardly of horns
or horn cores. TIE animal stands
slightly higher at the withers than at
the hindquarters, but its neck is not
proportionately longer than that OF a
horse. The head is rather large in pro-
portion to the body. and in outline
slightly resembles the head of a taDir.
The nostrils are two long Sits. :om-
pletely covered with hair. and resem-
bling the nose Of giraffe. The lips
apparently taper to point There
are, of course. no front teeth i'm the
upper jaw, as the animal is a true rum
inant. The front teeth I'm the lower
jaw are so small and feeble as to sug-
gest the idea that the creature, like
the giraffe, must possess a prehensiblc
tongue for furnishing food for the
molar teeth to grind. If this Is not the
case, then the rather long and pre-
hensible lips secure most of the AMI
mails nutriment which consists of
leaves
The build of the animal is rather
heavy in the case Of the male. The
female is said to be much more light
ly built, and her skull is considerably
smaller than that of the male. 1t is
not yet known whether any difference
OF cOloration exists between the male
aud female; the natives say that they
differ only in size The same author
tiles state that the creature Is found
only in the densest part of the forest
and that It goes about IN pairs Of male
and female. IL would seem TO be
quite inoffensiyc and very easily
killed. 1t is ordinarily captured i'm pit
falls and from what Sir Harry John
ston ascertaihed on the spot It's ex-
tinction is being rapidly carried out
by the natives Of Che Congo Free
State. It's flesh is said to be excellent
eating, and there is no reason why an
attempt should Tot bc made to domes-
ticate il.
AZ the present time Lhe known hab-
Itat Of the Okapi las this animal is
called by the natives consists OF the
forests Of the lturl and the western
banks Of the Scmliki ia tine Congo
Free State, ana the adlo'niug district
OF Mboga in The Uganda Protcciorotc.
The history OF thc discovery may b,.
briefly summarized rs follows: Wnrn
Mr.. now Sir Henry Stanley passed
through thesc Congo Tor isis he heard
occasionally rurnor- Of curious
bOrsp-flkp animal being found fter.