The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-04-29

scaly surface otherwise.
Chevrotalns are handsome little ami
mails. often said to belong to the musk
deer family, but scientists claim that,
examined anatomically they are shown
10 have no such relationship.
A dainty, shapely, truly graceful lit
tie animal. the fine quality of his flesh
leads to his undoing by hungry hunt
ers and carnivorouS beasts of prey.
Weighing from five to seven pounds
and about a foot aud a half high. Mr..
Roosevelt will find him a welcome
addition to his African bill of camp
fare
Extremely arduous work is frequent
~ undergone in bringing down an
telopes of the African woods and
plains. Sure scented, farseeing, fleet
footed and inveterate overcomers Of
natural obstacles that halt native and
white men, they cOyly prick up their
ears when the hunter gets within gun
shot and gayly skip out of reach like
f1irtatious debutantes at a smart CO.
tllon. The Gland is the largest of all
antelopes. and owing to his indiscrimi-
nate slaughter the officials In British
East Africa have forbidden the shoot
ing of him.
Captain James Forsyth describes a
male panther that, getting a craze for
human blood. actually killed a hun
dred natives, countless cattle, etc.
Finally a native, an aSkari. whose
family had lost members through the
beast was detailed to 20 into the jun
gle and bring back that panther's skin
or else never TO appear again. After
days and nights of dangerous exposure
the askari finally located the panther
near a pool whore animals came to
drink. Lying almost all night in the
bushes, the askari saw the beast come
down to the waters edge and. obtain
ing a good side shot at him. emptied d
muzZle loading shotgun half full of
lead slugs and pieces Of iron into the
brute. After several minutes of indie
scribable contortions. leapng and
twisting the panther lay dead When
the aSkari returned with the head Of
the leopard" said Captain Forsyth,
there were much feasting and dissipa-
ton"
In some sections of Africa the pan
Their Is held In such terror that he is
made part of the crude machinery Of
native justice A native who has com
mitted some offense, stealing, assault,
etc, is condemned TO go into the jungle
and kill a panther. If the native re-
turns with the head and hide of a
freshly killed beast he is Immediately
pardoued
A theory of various experts on Afri-
can fauna is that many curious ami
mails exist as yet unseen by white
men because these animals only ven
ture forth from their hiding places at
night, when hunters and explorers are
either asleep OF engaged in seeking
particular kinds of game. Mr., Roose-
velts plan is to do considerable still
hunting at night as d possible means
of securing specimens of these I'M
known beasts and thus becoming a
further contributor 10 the worlds
store of wild animal knowledge
AS an aid to this end was Mr. Roose-
velts conference in Washington with
Sir Harry Johnston, governor of East
Africa and celebrated explorer
Though the discoverer of the unique
okapi, Sir Harry could not secure
live specimen. Mr.. Roosevelt Is con-
tident Of obtaining live okapi, as he
will cross the heart of the region where
the animal is found in Uganda.
The okapi is the wonderful new
beast that looks like cross between
a giraffe. an antelope and a zebra
though such naturalization does not ac-
tually occur. Scientists have found
the geologic remains of creature like
the okapi in Greece. but supposed 1t
long extinct Henry NJ. Stanley heard
Of 1t among the central African pyg-
mics. but was content to call 1t
donkey" 1t remained for Sir Harry
to explore the almost lmpenetrable
forests Of the Uganda, and he succeed
ed in shooting an okapi the skin and
skeleton of which he sent back to
England. II has proved the most i'm
portant geological and in recent times.
The okapi has Erayish tan skin.
longer front legs than hind legs and a
small head without horns. Sir Harry
also discovered five horned giraffe.
which is taller than the common va
riety; a singing ostrich, a white whisk-
cred chimpanzee and new species OF
the ant bear and the chameleon.
M. .l.nr-L L.. ~ l. ....-L H. L.