New-York tribune., 1907-08-20
MORE NATURE FAKERS.
ppFSIDENT'S NEW ATTACK
Has Sore Strong Criticism for
DR.. Long and Others.

:, Every body's Magazine for September
president Roosevelt returns to the attack upon
che nature takers in article with that
,i.la nublished over a facsimile of his autograph
Signature An editorial note. preceding SYM
,osiurr gathered for the magazine by Edward
r Clark author OF the original article, "Roose-
,a,t and the Nature Fakers.'' and containing
she opinions of nature authorities on the contro-
,,ersy explains that the President intended to
,ake 10 part in the controversy. The informa-
rim OF the projected publication OF the SYM
nosium however, led him TO allow -'Everybodys
Magazine 10 publish a note on the subject
which he had intended 10 a. nd TO a forth
coming volume OF his public papers.
ST7he President first refers to what he calls
..sri-itual predecessors of certain modern writ
srs~ and quotes Samuel Hearne. Hudson Bay
axrlorer Of the eighteenth century in an attack
on misleading writers the beaver and its
habits He goes praise many writers
,be subject and 10 deprecate the fact that the
modern nature faher' deoei4es many persons.
Then coming to Mr.. Long. who was subject TO
severe criticism in the earlier article he says:
of all these nature takers the most reckless
end least responsible is Mr. Long: but there are
others who run him close in the yellow jour
a--lv called il It would take a volume merely
~ cata lozue the comic absurditieS with which
-ha books OF these writers are filled. There is
no need Of discussing their theories; the point
is that their alleged facts are not facts at ALL
hu- merely fancieS Their most striking stories
ere not merely distortions OF facts but pure in
rentions. and not only they inventions but
thev are inventions by men who know so little
of the subject concerning which they write, and
who 10 Ignorance add such utter TecklesSneSs
maj they are not even able to distinguish be-
tween what is possible. however wildly imprOb
afSe and mechanical irnpossibilities Be II re-
raembered that / am not speaking of ordinary
mistakes Of ordinary errors Of observation, OF
differences OF Interpretation and opinion: am
dealing only with deliberate invention deliber-
ate peTTeTSioE OF fact
Mr. Roosevelt goes TO regret that these
writers call their stories true. saying that the
sort Of thing complained of would be. if not
altogether proper. at least far less objectionable
q the writer's would appear frankly writers
OF fiction. Then he says that it is not probable
that some of the writers have even seen some
Of the animals they describe. adding that they
display great ignorance of their physical struct-
ure and characteristics After a reference to
the especial ignorance concerning caribou anat-
omy Mr.. Roosevelt says:
Like the White Queen in Through the Look
ing Glass" these writers can easily believe three
impossible things before breakfast: and they 90
rot mind In the least II the lmpoSsibilities are
mutually contradictory Thus. one story relates
how wolf with one bite reaches|the heart OF d
bull caribou. or moose. or a horse-a feat
which. Of course, has been mechanically I'M
possible OF performance by any land caTnivore
But the next story will cheerfully describe a
doubtful contest between the wolf and a lynx or
e bulldog, IN which the latter survives twenty
slashing bites. Now Of course a wolf that could
bite into the heart Of horse would swallow q
bulldog or lynx like 2 pill
In one story wolf is portrayed as guiding
tsorne some lost children in spirit Of thought
S,l kindness: let the overtrustful Individual who
has giried up his loius TO believe this think OF
fhe way he would receive the statement OF some
email farmers boy that when lost he was
guided home by a coon, a 'possum or wood
chuck
NJ Roosevelt refers TO a story of Mr. Long s
about q wolf in Newfoundland. and in a foot
note quotes a letter from George Shiras. IN
which Mr.. Shfras says that where DR.. Long
alleged that he was following wolves for weeks
al a time they were practically extinct. quoting
as evidence letter from his guide. which is also
given in the footnote. Mr.. Shiras remarks:
-Such audacity on the part Of DR.. Long is
simply astounding"
After specific attacks upon a number OF
stories. Mr.. Roosevelt goes on TO say:
In one story a woodcock is described as max
ing Z kind Of mud splint for its broken leg; II
seems pity not TO have added that II also mace
itself a crutch TO use while the splint was on
a Baltimore oriole is described as making a
contrivance OF twigs and strings whereby to at
tach its nest under circumstances which would
imply the mental ability and physical address
Of sailor making hammock: and the story is
backed up by affidavits. as are others OF these
stories This particular feat IS precisely as pos
sible as that Rocky Mountain pack rat can
throw the diamond hitch. The aftidavits in sup
port OF these various stories are interesting oIy
because Of the curious light they throw on the
personalities Of those making and belleVins
them.
II the writers who make such startling dis
eoveries in the wilderness would really STUDY
even the denizens Of barnyard. they would be
saved from at least some Of their more sallenl
mistakes Their stories dwell much on the
teaching of the young animals by their elders
and betters In one story, for instance, WHO
duck IS described as teaching her young how
TO swim and get their food II this writer had
strolied into the nearest barnyard containing a
hen which had Matched cut ducklings. slahce
ar the actions Of those ducklfngs when the hen
happened 10 lead them near puddle wouio
have enlightened him as TO how much teach
ing they needed