The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-07
AFRICAN HUNT IS
 ID BE SCIENTIFIC Full Statement Is Made of Plans of Presidents Trip PERSONNEL OF THE PARTY Roosevelt and His Son Kermit Will Be Accompanied By Representatives
 of Smithsonian Institution and
 an Expert Hunter.
PERSONNEL OF THE PARTY

Washington, December 6.-President Roosevelt, in a statement prepared by Secretary Walcott of the Smithsonian Institution, has made his first official an- nouncement regarding the hunting trip to Africa on which he will start within two weeks after he retires from the presidency. The expedition is to be out fitted by the Smithsonian Institution, the President defraying his own personal expenses, and will gather natural history materials for the new National Museum. The personnel of the party is officially announced for the first time. No fears need be entertained for the Presidents 8 safety, the statement declares, because every member of his party is an excellent rifle shot. Mombassa will be reached in April next year, but no detailed itinerary beyond that place has been made except the general route to Lake Victoria, Ny anza, and thence down the Nile to Khar- tun, where it is expected the party will arrive about April, 191O making the Presidents stay on African soil about one year.
 Scientific Expedition.
 The official statement says:
 Tn March, 1909, MT. Theodore Roose- welt will head scientific expedition to Africa, outftted by the Smithsonian In- stitution, and starting from New York city. This expedition will gather natural history materials for the government col lections, to be deposited by the Smith sonian Institution in the new United States National Museum at Washing ton, D. c.
 Besides the President and his son. Kermit Roosevelt, the personnel of the party on leaving New York will consist of three representatives of the Smith sonian Institution, Maj. Edgar A. Mearns, Medical Corps, U. s. A, retired; MT. Edmund Heller and MT. J. Alden Loring. On arriving in Africa the party will be enlarged by the addition of MT. R. J. Cunningham, who Is now in Africa pre- pairing the Presidents outfit. He will have charge of a number of native DOT ters, who, with necessary animals, will be formed into a small caravan.
 Kermit Is Photographer.
 MT. Roosevelt and his son will kill the big game, the skins and skele- tons of which will be prepared and shipped to the United States by other members of the party. MT. Kermit Roosevelt is the official photographer of the expedition.
 "The national collections are very de- fcient in natural history materials from the dark continent and an effort will be made by the expedition to gather gen eral collection in zoology and botany to supply some of its deficiencies, but the main effort will be to collect the large and vanishing African animals.
 MT. R. J. Cunningham, who is now engaged in assembling the materials for Mr. Roosevelt's use, has been employed to act as guide and manager of the car avan. MT. Cunningham is also an ex perienced collector of natural history specimens, having made collections for the British Museum In Norway and Africa. He is an English field man who has guided numerous hunting parties in Africa and who was chief hunter for the field Columbian exposition.
 Trained Naturalist.
 MT. Edmond Heller, graduate of Stamford university class of 1901, is a thoroughly trained naturalist, whose spe cial work will be the preparation and preservation of specimens of large ami maIs. MT. Heller is about 30 years of age. His former experience, when asso ciated with MT D. G. Elliott and MT. Ackley of the field Columbian Museum in collecting big game animals in the game portions of Africa, which MT. Roosevelt will visit, will be a valuable asset to the expedition. MT Heller has had large experience in animal collection in Alaska, British Columbia, United States, Mexico, Central America and South America
 MT. J. Alden Loring Is a field natural ist whose training comprises service in the biological survey of the department of agriculture and in the Bronx geological park, New York city, as well as on nu- merous collecting trips through British Columbia, Mexico and the United States
 Mai. Edgar A. Mearns, retired off, cer of the medical corps of the army about 53 years of age, will be physician on the trip and have charge of the Smith sonian portion of the party. He has had 25 years experience as an army doc tor, and is also well known a natural ist and collector of natural history spec imenS."