The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-12-30
LIVE HELLADOTHERIUM
JoHNsToNs DISCOVERY OF A NEW
MAMMAL IN THE CONGO FORESTS.
A Representative Of Creature Found
in a Fossil State in Greece and
Thought by Scientists TO BE Extinct
A Complete Skin in London.

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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 a cursory examination Of its
skin and skull 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 Hella-
dotherium was thought to be rela-
tion to the giraffe, smaller in size.
with shorter neck, and without any
marked development of those horn
cores which in the giraffe represent
the pediclcs from which, far back in
the history Of the genus, Eind Of
antler formerly sprang.
Sir Harry Johnston has at last se-
cured, through the kindness Of the
Belgian authorities at the frontier
post of Fort Mbeni, a complete skin
and two skulls of ellis cnimal, which
is now shown TO be not at all horse,
but clover -hcofed ruminant Of cx
traordinary coloration AID appearance,
which seemingly Is either OF the e.s-
tlnct genus Helladothcrium. 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
been Forwarded b. Sir Harry john
ston to the British Museum We're OBJ
tanned b. natlye soldiers Of the Congo
Free STATE n the vicinity Of Fort Mbeni.
and were very kindly presented TO Sir
Harry johnston by Mr. X. Eriksson, q
Swedish officer IN the service OF thar
State, who has until recently been the
Commandant at Fort Mbcni.
The complete skin sent hcnc now
shows the sEinal TO be colored in the
most extraordinary manner. The
cheeks OF the rather large head are
yellowish white, and the tarerng
muzzle is blaclsish brown. The fore
head is q most vivid rec, narrowing
down into thin black line continue.
along the ridge Of the nose to the nos
trils The long ass-like cars are OF
Ceep reddish brown, with silky black
fringes. The neck, shoulders, stomach
and back are deep rcddich brown,
which il parts las almost crimson
tinge, and in others becomes black
icl. The hlndquarters and hind legs.
down to TIE hocl1c. ana the front legs
from the elbow to the wrist Joirt are
boldly striped il purplisl blacE and
white, the white having here and there
faint touches Of orange. who hind legs
from the hook downward are OF 4
creamy color. Tho front legs are also
cream color. but a bold black lin
runs down the front Of the leg IN an
oblique manner. The fetlock1 OF all
four feet are black and cream color.
The tail is bright reddish brown. with
Q black tuft ct the end. There are 10
horns. but it may be seen from tle
skulls that far back ia its history
this creature possessed thr-o horn
cores sinila- TO those OF the gifaEc,
but by long disusc these hcrn cores
have degeneratcd ineo rounded bumps
cn tho skull, two OF them being situ-
ated 1 little above the cycc, and one
at tho beginning Of the nasal bonos
On the ckin, JUS over the two BIC
ger bumps. are two tiny and conical /
little twists Of hair. which represent /
all that remains cCt9ardly of hor.s
or horn corez. cn.mal ctcnds
slightly higher at the witheTs than az
the headquarters. but its necls Is nor I
proporticnatciy lcngcr than that Of a
horse. The head IS rather large ~ pro- !
portion 20 the cody, end IN outline /
slightly resembles the head Of a tapi.'. /
TIC no-trils arc two long slits. corr /
Dletcly covered with hair. end rcsem- /
bling the noco Of g Giraffe. The llDs /
apparently taper TO c point. There /
arc, Of course, 10 frcE, tcctl in tnc I
uIpe. jaw. as the cnmal is : true rum
ilalt. The front tcetl IN the lower
jaw crc SO srall ard feeble as 10 sug-
gest the iCca that the creature. Ike /
the g.raEe. must possess q prehersiblc 1
tongue FOR furnishing food for the 1
nolar teeth 10 grind. II this g not the
case, then the rather ioug and pre-
hcnsiblc lips cecure nost o. the AMI
mails IurlMcIt. whicl consists CT
leaves.
The bui,d CT the animal e rather
heavy In the case o. tie male. The
female IS said to te much more llg1t-
ly built, ard her skull is considerably
smaller than that Of tie male. II Is
not yet known whether any Girerencc
Of coloration exiGts between the male
and female; the natives gay that they
diEer only IL eize. The same author
tiles state that the crea .urc IS found
only in the censest part q the forest
ard that It GOES about Ia pairs Of male
and female. 1t would seen to be
quite inoIcncivc ard very easily
killed. 1t is ordirarlly captured n pit
falls, and from what Sir Harry John
ston ascertained On the spot It's e.
tinc.icn is being rapidly carried out
by the natives OF Tic Congo Free
State. It's lesh IS caid 10 be excellent
eating, ard there is 40 reason why an
attempt aLculd rot ts made to CONES.
iicate It.
At the rTe-ent tinc the known hab-
fuf Of ffsa -faa4.t t... /