The Washington herald., 1910-01-05
Work for Bwsna Jumbo.

If that most eminent faunal naturalist.
Mr.. Theodore Roosevelt. is not moved
to plunge headlong into the troubled
sea Of politics after he returns to his
native land, it is our impression that
most fertile field of endeavor may
be fitted to his restless energy in the
antarctic circle. Not that we would have
him go in search of the south pole-far
be it from us to advance so sinister a
.suggestion-but that we would have him
study the habits. manners of life, and
general characteristics of that strangest
and most freakish of all blrds-or fish, or
whatever it is-the penguin.
Sir Edward Shackleton unfolds amazing
and remarkable tales concerning that ami
NAL 1t is so human in many of its
maneuyers that one suspects inevitably. If
one accepts Sir Edwards statements
without question, that the penguin may
not righteously be classed lower than the
long-sought missing link" whatever else
may be said of it. In reference TO one
phase of this matter, the great antarctic
authority says:
An emperor meeting emperor or men. or dogs
boss grapely till his beak Is almost touching his
breast Keeping his head bowed. no makes a long
speech, in a muttering manner. short sounds fol-
lowing ia groups Of four OF Eve. Having finished
the speech the head is kept bowed a few seconds
for politeness' sake Then il is raised aud he de-
scribes with his bin as large circle as the points
Of his neck VIII allow. II you have not comnTe
hended. he tines again. Meantime his followers are
AFT 10 get impatient They are sure he is acting
incorrectly. Then another male viii vaddle forward.
elbow the first aside and repeat the ceremony"
When that intrepid French explorer.
Paul du Chaillu, first related the startling
story OF HIS meeting with divers and sun
dry orang-outangs in certain dark and dis
nal sections Of Africa, he was not only
cheerrulIy and promptly denounced by the
savants Of the day as the reincarnation
OF Ananias. but was even held by some
TO be mpardonably crazy. Nevertheless.
the great man-ape did exist, and was aft
erward found TO be much more wonder
full and terrible thing than du Chaillu him
self originally suspected. And Il IS the
recollection Of this that should give us
pause with respect to Sir Edward and his
astonishing narrative Of spen-binding
penguins!
From what we have heard Of the Eski-
mos Of the arctic regions. they have moth
ing in particular by way of advantage
over these penguins as intellectual propo-
stions. There are no Eskimos In the
south polar regions. There is nothing that
approaches man more nearly than Sir
Edwards birds, Who knows but that
the fame Of the discoverer of the south
pole may yet depend for historical security
upon the testimony OF some half dozen
penguins?
On the other hand Sir Edward Shackle-
ton may be a rank nature faker." He
may be a sort of faunal DR.. Cook. so 10
speak. Surely, this story OF his IS astound-
ingly unusual and recites unheard of
things And who is better qualified to get
at the exact facts in the case than the
mighty Bwana TumbO?
Which is why We say hereinbefore and
primarily that Mr.. Roosevelt might lend
a further hand to science. after he con-
cludes his picturesque shooting up of
Africa, and tell Us truly what is what in
penguindom.