The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-06-27
LIVE HELLADOTHERIUM
JoHNsToNs DISCOVERY OF A NEW
MAMMAL IN THE CONGO FORESTS.

Sir Harry Johnston has discovered
In the Semlki forests mammal
which, in its living form. Is entirely
new to science, says the London
Times. Ii is the size of an OK. and Is
distinctly related to the giraffe. This
remarkable creature, in fact, appears.
so far as a cursory examination of its
skin and skill may guide us, to be a
living representative of the Helladoth-
erium, creature found in the fossil
state In Greece and Asia Minor and
supposed TO be extinct. The Hclln-
dotherium was thought to he a rela-
tlon 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
the history Of the genus, kind OF
antler formerly sprang.
Sir Harry Johnston has at last Sc
cured through the kindntss IS of the
Belgian authorities ut the frontier
post of Fort Mbeni. complete skin
and two skulls of this animal, which
Is now shown to be not mt all Il horse,
but n cloven- -hoofed rumlnant 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 examplar.
The skin and the skulls which have
rHn Oh I. To
ston to the British Museum We're 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.. X. Eriksson.
Swedish officer in the service Of that
State. who has until recently been the
COmmandant at Fort Mheni
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 blacl1ish brown. The fore
head IL a most vivid red, narrowing
down into thin black line continued
along the ridge OF the nose to the nos
trlls. 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 crimson
tinge. and in others becomes black
ish. The hindquarters 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 a
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
black tuft at the end. There are no
horns. but 1t 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 situ-
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 ut the withers than at
hn l,f ,.tn l,x.t IL.
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 tapir.
The nostrils are two Tong Sits, COM
pletely covered with hair, and resem-
bling the nose OF giraffe. The lips
apparently taper TO point. There
are, of course, no front teeth in the
upper jaw, as the animal is true rum
inant. The front teeth in the lower
jaw are so small and feeble as to sug-
gest the idea that the creature, like
the giraffe, must possess prehensible
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
and 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. 1t would seem to be
quite inoffensive and very easily
killed. 1t is ordinarily captured in pit
falls, and from what Sir Harry John
ston ascertained on the spot its ex-
tinction IS being rapidly carried out
by the natives Of the Congo Free
State. It's flesh is said to be excellent
eating, and there is no reason why an
attempt should not De made to domes-
ticate 1t.
At the present time the known hab-
itat OF the okapi (as this animal is
called by the natiyesl consists of the
forests of the Itur aud the western
banks of the Semlilli IN the Congo
Free State, and the .dloining district