Daily camera., 1901-10-11
| NEW ANIMAL FOUND.
Travellers In Africa Discover Crea-
turs Of Unknevn Species.
Natsfalists Must Prepare Glass ana
waAe for Strange ouaArupsAe
Parts 81 several Anlnals
ConblAeA.


NaAs for Strange ousArupsA.
Parts 81 several Anlnals
ConbiAsA.
The finding Of the strange giraffe
Nike animal. tho "okapi," in the
dwsrf-inhabited forests Of Central
Africa IL one Of the most astonish-
ing discoveries of modern times. New
varieties of well-known animals are
from time to time brought home by
travellers. but the discovery Of hith-
erto unknown animal forming . new
genus or family 10 q rare occurrence
and naturally has created Q great
amount OF interest In the geological
world. Though utterly unknown ~
. living animal until during the past
few years. the existence OF such .
beast was limited at by some fossil
bones dug from the miocene deposits
of ancient Greece, in which they had
lain hidden for thousands of Yeas.
The helladotherium. a. pAleontolo-
sists named this prehistoric, giraffe
like animal. was larger than the g.
RATE. but his shorter neck and legs
agree with those Of the newly dis
covered animal in way which adds
further romance to the discovery,
Gays . London exchange.
6ir H. NJ. Stanley was the hrst TO
hear of the okapi whom travelling
through the Congo forests on his last
expedition. the natives frequently in
forming him Of strange horss-like
creature marked with stripes. Sir
Henry, however. failed to see him.
"for moving ~ we did" he says. "and
caravan two or three miles In
length, everything of . mild or timid
nature ned before us." Many tracks
seen on wet mud confirmed the sto-
RES Of the natives. 20 that Sir Harry
Johnston. special commissioner for
Uganda. when exploring recently In
the district of the Congo state. which
touches the Uganda frontiers be-
tween the Ituri and Semliki rivers.
determined. II possible. to len-n more
Of the strange okapi. He &.st OBJ
tained two pieces Of the animals
skin, which he sent home, and on the
evidence of these IL wss supposed
that new species Of striped horse
had been discovered.
But later on two skulls and . COM
plete skin were obtained and shipped
from Nombasa to London. and these
now show that the ckapi II not
horse, but a cloven-hoofed ruminAnt
of most astonishing coloration and
appearance. allied TO the living g.
RATES. and the fossil helladotherium
of Greece, but having. according 70
Prof Ray Lankester. unique features
which necesxitate its being regarded
as . new genus. When . girahelike
outline (no complete skeleton has
yet arrived. the ocapia johnstoni
covers himself with hide and hair
like . deer upon his body and neck.
while his legs and hind quarters are
striped after the fashion set BY the
zebra. The large ears characteristic
OF forest animals are ruddy and
fringed with blue.black hairs and the
face - striped with so bright . red
streak that the okapi Is perhaps the
most vividly colored Of all mammals-
Why the okapi should have such
queer stripes and markings on his
body and why they should b 90
strangely placed are questions which
arise even from eursory
glance at the animal. That these
stripes 90 like a xebra's are inti-
mately connected with his habits and
history would accord with the the
ories Of modern science. But because
the stripes resemble . zebra's II
must not be supposed that the okapi
Is . giraffe which has recently been
crossed with q zebra. Tho okapi
male breeds unhindered with the
okapi female in the deep forest av-
enues and tho stripes persist on their
young.
It must be remembered that the
tiger carries stripes for his own con.
venieuce and the square patches on
the giraffe also assist him during his
daily business of eating and keeping
alive. The tigers yellow stripes
match the tall grass in which he
stalks and his black bands arc
to be recognized from the
shadows Of the bent grasses. The
giraffe stands under his favorite tree
and his spots initiate the 6ecks Of
shadow in such way that natives
are frequently misled ~ to whether,
the tree Is a giraffe or the giraffe Q
tree. 1t can scarcely be doubted that
the stripes on the okapi have . sim
liar protective significance. It b pos
sible that the okapi was formerly
striped all over and that with Z
growing timidlty he protected him.
self more and more by hiding and
needed less and less the stripes upon
his body. When carefully watched
It will doubtless be found that the
okapi stands with his body hidden
among the leaves of trees which only
eSpose his limbs to the view Of the
pnemy. from whom fight is the only
means OF preserving his life. Tho
grassy looking stripes must save the
pkapi from many . foe,
HaDpesisg Of the Unexpected.
A. considerable length the superin-
tendent Of the Sunday school had set
forth the culpability OF the sluggard,
who, he said. needed only the spur
Of . worthy motive to become . use,
9ul member of society