River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-08-22

abundance of green food from nearby
farms. This begins In the spring, with
dandelion tops, followed by clover,
green corn, watermelons, strawber-
ries, and other fruit. In the fall acorns
are gathered for them, and they have
dried sweet corn and apples. Occasion
ally a too venturesome hen or pigeon
is caught and eaten, but the bears get
no other meat except little that has
been cooked. The surplus bears have
been disposed of from tirte to time.
from eight to ten months old, to anil
NAL dealers. at from $25 to $50 each.
the highest price received for a grown
bear being SIS.
Another pamphlet by Baker con-
tains notes on mammals which are rare
or have seldom been kept in conflne-
ment. Two live specimens of a "Hai-
tian insectivore," Solenodon paradox
us, were collected by Franklin Adams
of the Pan-American Union In the Do
minican Republic and presented to the
Natural Zoo. This rare animal is a
small rat-like creature with a queer
upturned snout, long stiff tail, and
oddly clawed fet. 1t Is not rat. how
ever, but relative of moles. shrews.
hedgehogs, etc. 1t lives in the ground,
and is OF nocturnal habits.
LophIomy0 Ibeanus.
A collection Of animals which was
received at the Zoo park In December.
1909, from the British East African
Expedition contained a specimen of an
extraordinary East African rodent call
ed Lophiomys ibeanus. It occurs in
the higher parts of the country, and is
known only to the natives. At the
urgent request Of G. III. Goldfinch, AS
sistant Game Warden of British East
Africa, two specimens were got for
him from the forest near Nakuru, at
about 5000 feet altitude. Goldflnch for
warded them to Nairobi, whence they
were shipped with the collection Of the
animals presented to the park by w.
N. Mcmillan. One died at Port Said.
but the other came through safely.
OF this animal Goldflnch says that it
lives in the trees in the thick forest OF
the high country and feeds on leaves
and tender shoots. In captivity, how
ever, 1t eats cabbages, sweet potatoes.
and other vegetables, being especially
food Of sweet potato leaves and endive.
The natives are averse to handling the
creature, believing it's bite to be poi
sonous. It is strictly nocturnal, and
its slow movements are suggestive OF
the Canada porcupine. When disturb
ed, 1t erects the long hair on the sides
Of its body, leaving deep furrow from
the ear to the tail. In the bottom OF
this furrow is short and peculiarly
modified spongy hair. When the ans.
NAL is quiet, the fur seq over this
band of short hair, ~, rely concealing
it, Exactly what this furrow repre-
sents is not clear, but it probably sur
rounds a gland.
The dormouse of Europe has a some.
what similar popularity. There is so
little information regarding the rate
of growth Of wild animals, that Baker
has taken the pains to record the
weights of a male Alaska Peninsula
brown bear In the park. The weights
have been made annually sor the past
eleven years. This bear was captured
near Douglass Settlement at the west
ern entrance Of Cooks Inlet, Alaska.
in May, 1901, being then about three
and one-half months old. In May, 1901.
it had reached 1,160 pounds.