Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-21

stitution. whom he has consulted. think
| these will be sufficient, but whether they
are sufficient or not these are all he has
in mind TO kill: no matter how plentiful
the game may be.
First Plans for Trip.
II was 10 Secretary walcott OF the Smith.
sonian Institution that Mr.. Roosevelt first
unfolded the tentative plans for his African
trip. In n letter to the secretary he made
known his project OF going. after his term
of office expired. 90 Africa for the purpose
of hunting and travelling IN British and
German East Africa. crossing Uganda and
working down the Nile with side trips after
animals and birds. He declared then that
he IL mot I'm the least a game butcher"
saying; II like to do a certain amount OF
hunting, but my real and main interest is
the interest Of a faunsl naturalist"
In his letter he expressed the opinion that
this trip opened the best chance for the
United States National Museum to get a
fine collection, not only Of the big game
beasts, but OF the smaller mammals and
birds OF Africa. and ought not to be neg
lected.
The president offered to AXE with him
several professional field naturalists and
nv sHohlu pTtpdTt ana BenQ
back the specimens he IL to collect, the
collection to 20 to the national museum.
The president said that as an ex-president
he should feel that that institution IL the
museum to which his collection should go.
While he would pay the expenses OF himself
and son, he felt that he had not the means
that would enable him to pay for the
naturalists and their kit and the curing
and transport Of the specimens for, the
museum. All he desired TO keep would be
a few personal trophies Of little scientific
value which for some reason he might like
to keep. He said the actual hunting Of big
game he would want to do himself or have
his son do.
Seeing the value or the presidents propo-
sition, Secretary WAlcott Immediately set
to work selecting men to form the party.
He decided that three men should form the
Smithsonian Institutions portion of the
party. The necessary funds for the Smith
sonian's share OF the expense were secured
from a source which has not been revealed.
II Is stated that no part OF these funds
was derived from any government appro-
priation or the income of the Smithsonian
Institution. That it was advanced by some
one Interested in science there lie no doubt,
ana there a been reports that Il was
donated by Andrew Carnegie.
PARTY Carefully Selected.
In selecting the four men TO accompany
Mr.. Roosevelt the best men In the scores
of naturalists OF the country were selected.
1t was decided that Major Edgar A Mearns
OF the medical corps OF the United States
army, a retired officer who has had twenty
five years experience as a doctor in the
army, should have charge Of the Smith,
sonian portion of the party. Hrs profess
sional services as physician to the expedi-
ton undoubtedly will be of the greatest
value, not to speak OF his ability as a well
known naturalist and collector of natural
history specimens. As an ornithologist
Major Mehrns probably Is one OF the high
est authorities, having made a speciality
of bird study for many years. The major
was one of the founders Of the American
Ornithologists' union and has written
widely on bird subjects. He is a member
Of the 1innaean Society Of Natural History
of New York. of the National Geographical
society, of the Biological society of WASH
ington, Of the American Association for the
Advancement of Science and a patron Of
the American Museum of Natural History
of New York. He Is 50 years of age.
AS a field naturalist ]. Loring Alden is
probably the most efficient and experienced
man in the party. He has made a speciality
Of the smaller mammals and 1t Is said Of
him that, where other traps and bats fail,
he can devise a trap ana select a bait that
will lure any OF the smaller wild creatures
into captivity. His training comprises serv-
ice In the biological survey OF the United
States Department of Agriculture and In
the New York Geological gardens in Bronx
park, New York City. as well as on numer-
GUS collecting trips through British Amer
lea, Mexico and the United States. He is
about 3S years old, of ardent temperament
and intensely energetic. In August, Sep
TENDER and october, 1898, he made the high.
est record for a travelling collector, having
sent TO the United States National museum
800 we'll prepared specimens of small man.
mails in the three months journey from
London, through Sweden, Germany, swftz-
erland and Belgium. His home is in Owego,
N. Y.
HeIler's Previous Experience.
o. the party the only one who has had
previous experience in that section of At
RIGA through which the expedition will
journey is Edmund Heller. He was asso-
ciated with Prof. Carl e. Akeley and X.
D. @, Eliot in the expedition of the Field
Columbian museum Of Chicago, which, in
1900, visited the same portions of Africa
that the Roosevelt expedition will cover
Mr.. Heller is a graduate Of Stanford uni.
versity of California and is a thoroughly
trained naturalist, whose special work witt
this expedition will be preparation and
preservation OF the specimens of large ami
mails. Having gone over the ground oncs
he is a valuable asset to the expedition.
Kermit Roosevelt, the presidents second
son, a young man OF 10 years, is to be the
official photographer of the expedition
His collection of photographs Of animal,
and scenes will be made use OF in a scien.
tific way and as Illustrations for books
and articles which his father will write
Young Mr.. Roosevelt Is a student at Har
yard university and a great favorite o.
his father. He has spent considerable timt
in preparing himself for the work he is Il
undertake. During his summer vacation
he made a study Of the camera and photo
graphic methods. He also experiments
in taking pictures OF the animals at IN,
Geological Gardens In New York. It is hi
first trip abroad and he looks forward L
y Il -