Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-12-09
ANNOUNCEMENT
REGARDING TRIP
WILL BE UNDER THE AUSPICES
OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTI.
TUTE-OFTCIAL STATEMENT
MADE BY THE PRESIDENT.

Washington. Dec. S.-President
Roosevelt today in a statement made
BY Secretary Walcott of the Smith
sonian institute, made his first off,
cial announcement 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 QUILTED
by the Smithsonian institution. the
president delaying his own expenses
and will gather natural history ma
tcrials for the new national museum.
Mombassa will be reached in April.
mkt year, but no detailed itinerary
beyond that place has been made
except the general route to Victoria
NyanZa and then down the Nile to
Hhartoum, where it is expected the
party will arrive about April. 1910.
The official statement follows:
In March. 1909, Theodore Roose-
welt will head scientific expedition
tt. Africa. QUILTED by the Smithson-
ian institution. and departing from
New York city. This expedition will
gather natural history material for
the governmnt collections to be plac-
ed by the Smithsonian institution in
the new United States national mu-
scum atWashington ID. c. Besides
the president and his son, Kermit,
the personnel Of the party on leaving
New York, will consist of three rep
resentatives of the Smithsonian in
stitution: Major Edgar A. Mearns,
medical corps. U. s. A., retired; EN-
annual Heller and j. Aldn Loring.
On arriving in Africa the party will
be enlarged by the addition Of r. G.
Cunninghame, who is now in Africa,
preparing the presidents outfit. He
will have charge of number OF ma
tive porte~s, who with the necessary
animals, will be formed into small
caravan.
Mr.. Roosevelt and his son will kill
big game, the skins and skeletons Of
which will be prepared and shipped
TO the United States by other men,
ters of the party. Kermit Roosevelt
it to be the Official photographer OF
the expedition.
The national collections are very
deficient in specimens from the dark
continent and an effort will be made
by the expedition to gather general
collections in zoology and botany to
supply some of its deficiencies. but
the main effort will be to collect the
lsrge and vanishing African ami
! mails.
r. G. Cunninghame. who is now
engaged in assembling the materials
for Mr.. Roosevelt's use. has been en-
ployed to act as guide and manager
of the caravan. Mr.. Cunninghame
is also an experienced collector Of
natural history specimens. having
made collection for the British mu-
scum In Norway and Africa. He IL
an Englishman who has guided mum.
erous hunting parties in Africa anu
who was chief hunter for the Field
Columbian exposition.
Edmund Heller. graduate of Stan
ford university, class of 1901, Is a
thoroughly trained naturalist, whose
srecial work will be the preparation
and preservation OF the specimens o'
large animals. Mr.. Heller Is abou'
80 wears of age His former expert
}ence, when associated with ID.
Eliot. and Mr.. Ackley. OF the F1elt
Columbian museum in collecting oil
como animals in the same portion o
Africa which Mr. Roosevelt Will Wis
n will be a valuable asset to TN
expedition. Mr.. Heller has had
large experience In animal coi'e.'
ing in Alaska. British Columbia IN
United States. Mexico. Central "A"
erica and South America. In the yea
l1sss ne made a collection tour OF !
months to Galapagos islands, star