The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-01-24
OOO BEASTS seen
BY COL. ROOSEVELT
And Many of His Specimens
Are Eye-openers to the
American Public.
KLIPSPRINGER A CLIMBER
TOPI IS PURPLE ANIMAL-HERTE-
eEESTs ARE SPRINTERs-GNU
IS A HoRNED-HoRsE- MANY
OTHER MARVElS.

Washington, Jan. "a The many
specimens of skins and skulls that
have come to the National Museum
from the Smithsonian African expedi-
ton under Col. Theodore Roosevelt
have brought to light some names of
animals that frequently fail to in any
way identify the beast.
OF this character are 'klipspringer,
topi, hartbeest, wildebeest, gazella,
impalla, dikdik, otocyon and perhaps
cony. A brief description of the ami
mails which these names represent
may be found interesting.
HiII-CIimbing kiipspringer.
The klipspringer, called kainsi by
the Hottentots and klip-bok by the
Beers. is small antelope that is
widely distributed through South At
RIGA. 1t may be found up the east
coast through the province Of MoZam-
bique and is plentiful in northern
Zambest, but in Cape Colony they are
not as numerous as formerly.
They cannot run quickly on level
ground, but when climbing hill their
marvellous agility is apparent They
will race up the smooth face of slip
perry rocks, SO steep that no animal
other than a baboon could find a foot
ing there.
1t is their fondness for rocky
country that has led to their being
called the "chamois of Africa" Kip
springer stalking in Africa is a pretty
sport, affording healthful exercise,
frequently amid charming scenery.
Purple Tinted Topi.
The tOpi, according to some writer's
sis nominally, a hartebeest." That is.
it is something like an antelope and
yet much heavier, having to GER
tain extent characteristics that ally it
to the family that includes the bovine
species.
1t is a good-sized beast and sturdily
built and has beautifully shaded
skin Of purplish tint, with a sheen on
it's coat which lights, like shot silk.
It's distribution is curious and it is
found near the coasts, and also far in
The interior and yet there are wide
regions where it is unknown.
The flesh of the topi is excellent.
furnishing the best meat for eating in
some parts of Central Africa.
Swift-Footed Hartebeests.
The hartebeests are large antelopes
that go about in herds and are swift
There are many varieties, although
they are usually classified as harte-
beests proper, bastard hartebeests
and gnus. Among the bastard harte-
beests are the topi, already mention
ed, the korrigum and the tang.
The hartebeests are all more or less
ungainly looking ruminants of COM
paratively large size, with naked muz-
zles, small glands in the face below
the eyes and large-valved nostrils, of
which the lower lids are covered with
a number of short, bristly hairs. They
have longtufted or hairy tails and
have peculiarly angled horns set at
the extreme top of a long face.
In color they are either uniformly
brown, or similarly colored with the
addition of blackish or purplish patch
es on the face, shoulders, hind quart
ers and lower portions of the limbs
They are sometimes domesticated. but
usually are hunted for their flesh,
which resembles beef.
1rindIed and White Tailed Gnu.
The wildebeest is better known as
the gnu. There are the brindled spe-
cies ana the white-tailed gnu, with
three distinct varieties of the first
species.
Wildebeests are described as gro
tesque-looking ruminants with dispro-
portionately large heads. distinguish
ed from other genera of hartebeests
by the tufts Of hair on their faces,
their named necks, broad muzzles,
doubly curved smooth horns and long