New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-27


ponsereI; With illustrations from
nhnfosraphs by Kermit Roosevelt ana
other members OF The eSIpeoi Cond,s,in'
library edition $40. PIP NY -
Charles Scribner's Sons.
This is, of course. the book OF the
xesr." and the book OF the new publish
inc season. whose earliest forerunner II
Is To be sure. il owes this pre-eiill-
nent position to a large extent 10 i's
authors commanding position IN the
eyes of the world. but il must DE auueu
here. and at once, that. apart from 'iiiS'
II Is a work of constant and VIVA III
terest TO the lover Of animate nature
There is zest in its descriptions Oh
.r;rc,,rosrect stalking, bold approach ana
ho.61onp nt,rsuit of the quarry, and OF
a.. ,s.,,era-s encountered in shooting the
,,,.S+ came in the world when IL
stands at hay or charges heaoiohg upon
rho hunter. but this side Of Nj Roose-
,eI,-s account of his trip has perhaps
1,,.a,, oyer-ennphasized while it was run
ming its serial course to the neglect OF
other qualities II has whose interest ana
value are more lasting
we have in African Game Trails" Mr..
Roosevelt the ardent hunter, but we
have also here the ohservant. trained
naturalist. constantly commenting upon
the habits Of wild animals. constantly
pointine out. and here he is most sus-
eestlye and informing, the rashness ana
,Inreliability Of CONGRATULATIONS that take
no note OF the most amazing exceptions
70 the rules laid down Time ana AGAIN
he ot,otes instances of the indifference
n the proximity of man OF the sup
,,osellv most timid OF wild animals he
notes the queer ways of the Wlluepees'
in herds. the noisy behavior OF zehfas'
the intelligence of the elephant. proleC'-
ing il from determination. and the N
credible stupidity OF the rhinocefos'
which. apparentlv. is unable 70 reailze
thar retreat alone will preserve II, anu
remains where il must ultimately pe
killed of Throughout Mr.. hooStNel'
Laws emphasis upon the Importance III
nature study Of close attention TO laol-
,-idual characteristics. Extreme adVo-
cafes of the theory Of protective colora-
ton viii find some striking opseIN d. 1olls
on the subject in this book winch WIN
have TO be taken into consideration Fl" wien
that theory comes to be finally revised
Bird lovers viii recognize Mr.. Roose-
,,. as one If themselves in many a
massage Indicative of close ana aiIee-
.5ona-e study. and Africa evidently re-
pavs eyes that see d hundredfold- 10
the fora OF the region he gives but scant
attention. and his descriptions OF the
~,.~eea5sf7c-lV few though
here and there he suggests /. IN brlef,
telling phrase. One notatN ssase'
comparing the beauties Of our northern
1atitudes with those of that tropical
country. is worth quoting:
ID In this part OF Africa, where flowers pIooIn
III and birds sing all the year round, there
" Is no such burst OF bloom and song as IN me
Northern spring and carly summer M e {
i nothing like the mass OF blossoms which
carpet the meadows OF the hlSh lnoLIl-
tain valleys and Far Northern rleaooMs
,jTrfn.. their brief high tide OF LIE Whef,
one short Joyous burst OF teenlln& ana VITA
baa,,f- afones Tor the long death or the
- 81, 90 1,-infer So il is with the bird
songs. Many of them are beauuIui; tto * - !
10 my ears none quite as neallli a, ~
hest OF our own bird songs Al any rate
there is nothing that quite COZ t5 - -
The chorus that during 4ldN anu = olie
moves rlorthsaFd from the Gull states ana
southern Cas9 forslia 10 Maine, MltILitsol q
nd Or-.aon 10 Ontario and Sasi.tt clle"aii:
when there cones the great Nernal plISt Oh
i,lo9En and song. when the Nay EoWet'
tIooj-,eT axe robin anemone. adder
tongue. 1iverworL Silsldblo". uoEN t'ot'' - -
f.l,S .IasdenS the woods, when hl"Nh-iI9
friYCis and cardinals sing IN the fl'bsi!o
,-Ie[-.s "a me south. and hermit thrusEeS,
winter wrens and sweetheart sparrow ~
he spruce and heniiock forests o. IrlF
North: when bobollnks IN the E.s-St < en-
meadow larkS East and West sing N tI1e
fields and water oUSelS by the cold sur
in the Rockies. and canyon "fes IA lII IN
Ty-lNp A
BOARD 10 the Pacific wood ti1ruSheS- NTtiles
r-llfe5ls-backed thTushes, ROBINS, piueplLuS'
syioies tl7rashers catbirds, house fncheS,
- .,,a,~~g,E-S thrill the gardens al
sunrise: until the long days begin 10 shorten
ana taVny lilies burn by the roadsl.t, $-l9 ~
the indigo bunJingS trlll from the tol'S u
little trees throughout the hot afternoons
NJ Roosevelt touches but briefly upon
East Africa as a white mans country
though the subject could not fail 10 m
+erest him sufficiently TO draw from his
pen some general observations winch
LEAD one TO the conclusion. for one thing
that the region is in the hands OF anie'
conscientious British administrators and
OF the best kind Of settlers, German and
Italian as well as English, but foremost
among them Afriianders OF British and
Boer origin. many Of them veterans OF
The three years war but now dwelling
and working together in amity. The
natives, their problems and needs, are
dealt with IN the same brief. general
,vav. which does not omit. of course, to
r.ay q hearty tribute 10 the labors q the
Christian missionaries.
But TO Nj Roosevelts big game and
what he has to tell about it The great
hunters Of Africa are still in doubt as 10
which is the most dangerous quarry
th. loi? the elerhant. the rhinoceroS OF
the b,lffalo-and after reading the au-
thor's account Of his own and Mr. Kermit
Rcosevelt's experiences with all four OF
them the reader win he inclined TO hold
that the question remains unsettled. OUI
author himself votes for the lion. and
takes into consideration the considerable
claims of q fifth wild anmal-the leop-
ard. whose ability and willingness &c
fight appear to be Handicapped only by
its smaller size Mr.. Roosevelt does mol
hold .he theory that the rhinoceros's de
feet in sight has anything TO do with its
unreasonable ferocity, and quotes the
elephants equally poor eyesight and
sensible behavior in support OF his view
The buffalo like the rhinoceros. invites
determination. not only by its more than
occasional turbulence. hut by the dam
- : 81. g-.fF .,s-- Of .-4r5