Evening star., 1909-02-28

from which taken, but also and particularly
shows the nature of the differences resulting and
age affords index the kind and quantity of individual
variation and sets standard for comparison with other
members of the group thereby furnishing of esti
mating the probable value of particular cranal or dental
pecuartes observed single skulls from remote regions
When the President sent his twelve cougar skulls
the Biological Survey, the full data for each specl-
men prepared by him in the field were sent with
them. One of the skulls was that of giant male,
the largest skull of any cougar the Washington SCI
entists had seen, surprising even the type
specimen from the Wind River Mountains of Wyo-
ming" In the flesh this animal measured eight feet
in total length from nose to tip OF tall and weighed
two hundred and twenty-seven pounds
The bobcat, though it carries lynx as its Chris
tian scientific name, should not be confused with
the real lynx, its cousin. Mr. Roosevelts contrbu-
tions of bobcat specimens include five skulls of ami
mails shot near Meeker, Colorado three from Divide
Creek in the State, and one from Tensas Bayou
Divide Creek were obtained in different years. In
studying the bobcat material, the scientists found
the Roosevelt specimens of great assistance in estab
fishing the validity of the big form of the bobcat,
the Lynx of the high attitudes, distinguished
from ordinary animals of the lower levels
Credit from a Scientist
FROM one of the Washington scientists who is par
1 tcularly hopeful concerning the results of the
African collecting expedition comes this statement:
From Mr.. Roosevelt's writings the big mammals OF
America have learned much concerning their habits
The best contributions science the elk the
deer the the wof and the antelope contained
era characteristics of these animals and his observation
the methods the predatory mammals employ in hunting
has sent way ahead
1t is something of descent from an eight-foot
Colorado cougar three inch Wyoming mouse.
In the Washington collection the skin and skull
of field mouse Iicvotus ndnns) sent by the Presi-
dent to the Biological Survey from the Lower Geyser
Basin, Wyoming in 1903. This seemingly insignif-
cant mouse gave the scientists knowledge of new
field mouse habitat. 1t never before had been re-
ported from that region of the country.
Mr. Roosevelt in one of his own writings tells of
his belief that he had discovered species of
shrew in the kootenay country. 1t swimming
shrew that sent up slvery bubbles when it sank
below the surface. This in the President's S
ranchman hunter days, and he watched the shrew
for long tine and finally, believing that he had a
new species to give to science, he killed it. He
skinned the victim and put the pelt log to dry.
Shortly afterward guide took the log with the
shrew skin it and threw it on the fire; and the
naturalist bewailed loss to the sum total of the
worlds mammal knowledge The edge taken
off his disappointment when he learned by cor
respondence that the swimming shrew had been
chased to its lair killed and fully classified some
time before.
In the early spring the President is to go into
Africa in pursuit of specimens of known and strange
beasts. He hopes to secure some greater mammals
of whose existence to-day science Is ignorant. Re
Gently Sir Harry Johnston of England dned at the
White House The Englishman went into Africa
and discovered and shot the okapi. Is Theodore
Roosevelt go Sir Harry better, and to discover
and shoot the - and the -?