490 APPENDIX D 



line for a mile without seeing any traces of large animals, although leop- 

 ards and smaller cats sometimes wander to this height. The grove- 

 toothed rat, otomys, was numerous in the grass bordering the glacial 

 lakes at a height of 15,000 feet; so were the big mountain hyrax; and 

 Mearns shot one of these animals at 15,500 feet, by a snow bank; it was 

 the highest point at which any mammal was collected. Various kinds of 

 rats and shrews were numerous about the 13,700 foot camp. Above 12,000 

 feet only three small birds were seen: a long-tailed sunbird, a stone 

 chat, and a fantail warbler. 



On the entire Mount Kenia trip 1,112 birds, of 210 species, were col- 

 lected; 1,320 mammals and 771 reptiles and batrachians were collected, 

 but the species represented were much fewer. Mearns also made an ex- 

 cellent collection of plants and a good collection of invertebrates. Fresh- 

 water crabs were numerous in the streams up to 10,000 feet, frogs went 

 as high as 10,700, a chameleon was taken at 11,000, and a lizard at 12,100. 



Loring ascended the mountain to the base of the pinnacle, at about 

 16,500 feet. He started from the highest camp, where the water froze each 

 night. The ascent was easy and he carried his camera; but the glare of 

 the snow gave him snow blindness. 



