Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1909-02-25
ROOSEVELT IN AFRICA
Presidents Hunt Will Be For Sci
enCe Rather Than Sport.
IMMEDIATE PARTY SMALL.

following three men to go to Africa
with him as companions and as col
lectors of material for the possible ad-
vancing of scientific knowledge and
for the enrichment of the collections
of the National museum at Washing
ton:
Edgar Alexander Mearns, major and
surgeon United states army, author and
an authority on zoology and botany.
Edmund Heller, ZoologiA formerly with
the Field Columbian museum in Chicago
member of Carl L. Akeley's exploring
and shooting trip into Africa in 1905.
J. Alden LorinE Of Owego. y. Y, an au-
thority on the smaller mammals and an
expert collector.
1t has been finally determined that
these three men. with the president
and his son Kermit shall form the Af-
rican party, says a Washington spe-
cial dispatch to the New York Post
They are. of course, TO be accompanied
by necessary guides and caravan men.
1t is Mr. RooScvelt'S desire that the
African expedition shall not be looked
upon as one with sport as main OBJ
ject. \ limited number of specimens
of mammals and birds will be killed
for the uses of the National museum.
Other killing will he confined to the
limits of the necessary food supply of
the camp
Recently statements have been pub
lished to the effect that the game pre-
serves in Africa under the control of
some of the foreign governments were
TO be opened to the president and his
MONS with tn shoot
at will. No advantage will be taken of
these offers, Mr. Roosevelt having
made up his mind TO decline to do any
shooting except in those places where
the hunting is open to all.
The feeling of the president on this
matter of shooting on government pre-
serves is made known by one OF his
friends, who said that Mr.. Roosevelt
told him that person taking adv, "
tage of permission to shoot on govern
ment reservations in Africa would be
exactly in the position Of an English
man or Frenchman who came to
America and was given permission by
the government of the United States
10 shoot at will in the Yellowstone
park He added that such permission
given by the American government
would rightly arouse resentment.
There is a feeling which Mr.. Roose-
ivelt shares with other sportsmen that
the wild animals on reservations
should be protected to the utmost and
that in no circumstances should per
mission be given TO kill them, except
possibly when the predatory animals
become too numerous for the safety of
the deer and other practically defense.
less creatures
1t is Mr.. Roosevelt's hope to secure
for the National museum at Washing
ton two adult specimens. one of each
sex, of the animals which he is
likely to meet on the dark continent.
For the ordinary needs of a museum
the president thinks that these will be
sufficient; but, whether they are sufii-
cient or not, two of each kind of the
beasts of the field and forest are all
that he is of Il mind TO kill, no matter
how plentiful the game may be-
An effort will be made to secure
specimens of the African birds and of
the smaller mammals. Mr.. Roosevelt
is an ornithOlogiSt but he is not any
thing like as familiar probably with
this branch of science as is Major
Mearns who has made Il speciality of
bird study for many years, The major
was one of the founders of the Amcri-
can OrnithologiStS' union. and he has
written widely on bird subjects. 1t
is possible that the National museum
may come into possession of some
hitherto unknown bird species as the
result of Mr.. Roosevelt's African
shooting. New bird species that may
he discovered during the progress of
The forthcoming "trip will be deter
mined" by Major Mcarns. but it is
probable that their naming will be left
10 the home scientists.
j. Alden Ioring has made Il special
~ of the smaller mammals. 1t is said
OF him that, where other traps and
balts fail, he can devise Il trap and Sc
lect bait that will lure any of the
smaller wild creatures into captivity.
Mr.. Loring, although the youngest man
of the party. has had Il wide cxpe-
rience in field work He did some
notably excellent work for science in
the Alaskan fields.
Mr.. Roosevelt holds that he is par
ticularly happy in securing the com
panionship of the scientists who are to
80 with his party. Edmund Heller
went into Africa with Carl L. Akcley.
the Field museum taxidcrmist. who
lifted taNidermy from the plane of the
trades and put it upon that of the
arts. Mr.. Heller has knowledge of the
animals of that section of Africa into
which the party will go which is sec
ind perhaps to that of no man in the
country. With the knowledge of pre-
Seryative methods which all the men-
berS of the party have, the Washing
ton scientists believe that the speci-
mems which are secured will be
brought to the United States in the
best possible condition.
IT is the known wish of the president
hat the expedition into Africa shall be
made with the privacy that marks or
should mark any other expedition
AIr. Roosevelt wants an outing and
hance to do n moderate amount of
shooting. with a first view to getting
results that will be of benefit to science.
Inconsistent.