Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-01-05
TROPHIES 0F TIE HUNT
FEATURES OF ROOSEVELT COL.
LECTION SHOWN AT SMITH,
soNiAN INSTITUTE.
SPECIMENS ARE RECEIVED
IN BEST OF CONDITION
Many Large and Small Mammals and
1856 Birds - Human Skulls Picked
Up Along Ancient Slave Trail Wers
Also Shown.

~s'@
1856 Birds - Human Skulls Picked
Up Along Ancient Slave Trail Wers
Also Shown.
Many mammal skulls and birdskins
collected by the Roosevelt hunting ex-
petition IN East Africa were shown to
regents Of the Smithsonian institution
at Washington after the annual meet
ing the other day. One Of the most
interesting exhibits was collection
Of almost dozen skulls Of the dix
dix, the little antelope about which
good deal has been said In print.
There was also large collection OF
other antelope skulls, hippopotamuses
and rhinoceroses and the skulls of g.
RATES. and of wild boars. The bird
skins included very large number Of
highly colored small birds, besides a
specimen Of the rosy pelican and rare
herons and the secretary bird.
There were two tables covered with
the skulls of rhinoceroses, hippos, i'm
mense skulls of CRATES and specimens
Of boars' skulls with murderous look
ing tusks. One of the most interesting
questions that presented itself to the
regents was how giraffe, with neck
ten feet long, could ever manage to
handle the immense skull which was
at the end Of this great lever.
There was one skull of rhinoceros
shot by Colonel Theodore Roosevelt
,,{An ,hof
brain directs immense brute force. The
bullet had entered just above the right
eye and had blown out the top of the
skull, leaving the brain cavity exposed.
This was just big enough to make a
nice cup for mans fist.
Brain Capacity Question.
1t raised the question anew whether
quantity or quality was necessary in
the brain development of animals. The
rhinoceros is credited with being a
stupid animal. At the same time the
elephant has almost as small brain
cavity and Is rated as one Of the most
Intelligent Of animals.
The skull OF the dikdik was scarce
IL as large as that of a small terrier
dog. When placed alongside the i'm
mense skull Of an African buffalo 1t
was altogether lost by comparison
There were many other antelope skulls
and skulls Of other horned cattle.
There Woso also on view several
cases Of small birds collected by DR.
Mearns, although the larger specimens
were nearly all shot by Colonel Roose
velt.
1t was said that the collection Of
skinssand skulls was the best that the
Smithsonian ever received. All the
specimens were received in better con
dition than any previous collection
The selection Of specimens had beer
made with great skill.
1t is possible that one Of the frs
things that will be done is to arrange
an exhibit Of the various varieties o.
some single species with view t.
showing how completely the grount
has been covered.
Trophies Of Expedition.
The secretary of the board reported
that 1858 skins had been taken by thu
expedition up to Dec. 10. of which
rather less than one-half had been re
ceived at the institution
Those now at the institution art
divided briefly as follows: Large nam
mails, 243; small mammals, about 1900
birds, 1856. In addition to these, Their,
have been about $500 sheets Of plant
collected whose Importance to the na
tioDal herbarium was very great, a
no material had previously been re
ceived from this part Of Africa. Th
collection has a series Of human skull
picked up along the line Of an ancien
slave trail. These are Of special i'm
portance as illustrating the crania
character Of pure bred homo Africanus
The secretary announced further tina
rs q result Of the African expedition
collection of living animals had bee,
presented by Mr.. Mcmillan to the Ma
tional Geological park; that an agen
Of the park had visited Nair~bi an
received this gift and was soon e,
pected to arrive In the United State
with these animals.