148 



THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL 



a literature on African game has sprung 

 up and grown to voluminous if not 

 formidable proportions. It has remained 

 however, for Roosevelt and his field 

 assistant Heller, as a direct outgrowth 

 of the Smithsonian-Roosevelt African 

 Expedition to wTite the Life Histories of 

 African Game Animals — a book which 

 for all time will stand as a treasure house 

 of information on the geography and 

 general natural history of the region. ^ 



In training, field experience, knowl- 

 edge of animals, and in literary ability, 

 the authors form a rather remarkable 

 combination. Roosevelt had long been 

 recognized as the most pleasing writer 

 and highest authority on the habits and 

 himting of the big-game animals of North 

 America; Heller had attained the repu- 

 tation of being one of the world's most 



'In the light of this assured permanent vahie of the 

 work, it is interesting to quote Colonel Roosevelt. 

 He has said that his idea in writing this book was to 

 record his own field observations and such observations 

 of others as he thought accurate, in order to stimulate 

 interesl in the study of the life histories of African game 

 animals — that the book was more a first word than a 

 last word on this subject. — The Editor. 



From McCulcheoii' s Itt Africa 

 By courtesy Bobbs-Merrill (hmpuiiy 



Roosevelt showing his pigskin library to John T. McCutcheon, Fred 

 Stephenson and Mrs. Carl E. Akeley in the Roosevelt African camp 



experienced and successful mammal col- 

 lectors, having previously worked in 

 East Africa (on the Akeley expeditions), 

 and in western North America from 

 Alaska to the deserts of Southern Cali- 

 fornia and Nevada. Hence in the writ- 

 ing, the life histories naturally fell to 

 Roosevelt; the account of geographic 

 ranges and the descriptions of species to 

 Heller. 



In the preface and early part of the 

 book the authors outline the routes and 

 geographic areas covered by the expedi- 

 tion, describe the natural features and 

 dominant elements of the flora, give an 

 admiral)le summary of the history of 

 east and middle Africa, mentioning the 

 accomplishments of successive explorers 

 and hunter-naturalists, and digress far 

 enough to discuss such general subjects 

 as game preserves, the geographic dis- 

 tribution of animals, the systematic 

 relations of genera, species and sub- 

 species, the derivation of the fauna geo- 

 graphically and palteontologically, and 

 the theories of concealing and revealing 

 coloration in relation 

 to natural selection. 



Whether or not one 

 always agrees with 

 their conclusions it 

 must be admitted 

 that the discussions 

 abound in interesting 

 observations and en- 

 tertaining comments 

 and deductions. In 

 many instances fun- 

 damental scientific 

 truths are expressed 

 with more than ordi- 

 nary- clearness. Thus, 

 in speaking of the 

 ranges of animals and 

 plants we are told that 

 every species has a 

 tendency to enlarge 



