New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-16

ANIMALS. BY Theodore Roosevelt anu
Edmund Heller, w. win 1roI 1iu drp wiDss
by Philip r. Goodwin. and ith'iorty
faunal maps. Svo. two volumes. PIP.
xix. 40: x, 37S Charles Scribner's
Sons.
History, geography, geology, mete-
orology, botany and all departments OF
zoology pay tribute to the work of
Messrs Roosevelt and Heller. 1t is in
deed fitting that they should, for all
are more or less concerned in the sub
ject. Since the days Of Harris. and
even before, Africa has been the happy
hunting ground Of those who seek big
game, SURPRISING even India and the
Rockies, for II has a variety and
magnitude Of game UNNECESSARILY sur
passing these, and fitted TO fascinate
alike the daring slayer, the trophy
seeker and the student Of natural his
tory: all Of which in one, as well as
author to boot, is Colonel Roosevelt.
There is no more striking feature OF
African fauna than its coloration, run
ming the whole chromatic gamut from
white TO black, and exhausting design
in stripes and spots and rings and mot
Ting and blending. There were those
who decried the plates Of Harris as
fanciful in their high coloring; but
those who have seen African game in
its habitat realize that his palette erred
if at all in being too neutral and re-
served. Colonel Roosevelt and Mr..
Heller devote a long and most inter
esting chapter 10 this important theme
showing the apparent purposes ana
service of some color schemes and the
inexplicable character Of others. Some
are for concealment and some for DIS
play: some are protective and some are
intended to strike terror to the heart
of the enemy. Some, Of course, are IN
tended for psychological effect, so far
as psychology can be said 10 exist
among animals. But the theories
which some Darwinians more Darwin
ian than Darwin have evolved seem
simply fantastic, and well merit the re-
buke which is given in the suggestion
that even scientists ought to use COM
mon sense.
This commendable quality is con-
spicuous in Colonel Roosevelts de-
scription and discussion of big game
Which is the most dangerous OF all
creatures to the hunter? 1T is un-
safe" he judiciously observes, Ito try
to lay down invariable rules. In
some circumstances one animal is the
most dangerous; in others, another
But taking the average OF individuals
and the average of circumstances our
author considers the lion more danger
GUS TO the hunter than any other game.
The leopard is more agile, more reck-
less and more difficult TO hit, but 1t is
so much smaller and less powerful than
the lion that it is far less likely to XIII.
The bull buffalo is more formidable
than the lion when he charges, but he
is less likely to charge, and is generally
more easily evaded. The elephant Is
more likely to charge than the buffalo,
Lut he is not so dangerous. AS Tor the
ponderous and always truculent rhlnoc-
eros he is far less dangerous: m
fact" says our author naIvely, only
about as dangerous as the grizzly
hear" Is the lion the king of beasts! !
We'll. he does not disdain to gorge him.
self on actual carrion.
There are particularly interesting
chapters on the buffalo, the elephant
the giraffe and the rhinoceros' ana
others on the many varieties of an
telopes. large and small, and the zeoras
and ouageas Indeed, all important
game animals receive attention, from
the two points of view Of the adven-
turous sportsman and the studous
scientist. There are sufficient nara
tives OF hunting and killing and ORA
matte incidents of the chase to gratify
the reader who seeks for thrills, and
there IS also a wealth Of scientific de-
scription which makes the volumes a
real handbook Of major African zool-
oev. 1t should be gratefully added
that the personal note is always mod
estly subdued Some personal adven-
lures are. Of course given; so good
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