426 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[May 28, 1898. 
Naturally I was in a great hurry to see dead my first 
hippo, but I feigned indifference and called for my tea 
and biscuits, and then as leisurely as I could dressed 
and went down to see the brute. It was rather funny to 
see how elaborately attentive my boys were (a livelj' 
sense of meat to come) ; the path was cleared of everything 
likely to hinder me, branches were held till I passed, and 
my rifle was taken out of my hand. The hippo presented 
a very odd sight. _He was stranded on the shallows and 
half on his back, his little stumpy legs sticking up in the 
air, at one end his enormous head and neck, and at the 
other his ridiculously small tail. The upper part of the 
body was a dark gray to almost black, and the belly and 
unexposed parts a light red to almost white. There were 
a few coarse, black hairs on the back (perhaps four to 
the square foot) and a dozen or so on his tail. The tail 
has no bone proper, but a little gristle in place of it; it 
is about I2in. long and 4in. thick at the base. 
The natives refused to touch the brute till I went out 
to it, a rather difficult matter, as the river ran breast- 
high at the sides and over smooth, slippery rock. 'Tak- 
ing off my boots and trousers, and keeping on my socks 
(a sure prcA^entative against slipping on wet rocks) I 
waded in. There was a channel fully 6ft. deep and 
3ft. wide, and I was helped over this, for I had no desire 
to be carried down to the pools below and make ac- 
quaintance with the crocodiles, with which the deep parts 
of the river swarm. 
Before my natives would start skinning the animal 
or even touch him I had to cut off his tail, and they 
were fearful that I might not throw it away. The rea- 
son, they said, was that otherwise they would have fear- 
ful stomachaches on eating the meats — a superstition 
I have not yet been able to get at the bottom of. Hav- 
ing cut off the tail and thrown it away, and leaAdng 
directions to cut two strips of 4in. broad from the top 
- of the neck to the root of the tail, I left them to skin 
and cut up the beast to drag ashore. My boys made 
long ropes of bark, and fastening one end round a tree 
on shore and the other round a part of the beast, they 
would sever this and pull it on land. It took several 
hours to get it all (and they wasted nothing excepting 
the tail) high and dry. I tried a bit of kidney (a quarter 
of one), which filled my plate, for breakfast, but it was 
rather rank. The tongue was excellent, and the under- 
cut good too; the feet I have since learned are very 
fine (a good-sized "trotter"). 
After breakfast I went down to see to the cutting 
up and making strips for belting. I reserved for niy own 
use and trading a hindquarter, the fat (a bucketful when 
boiled down), the tongue, lips and undercuts, and let 
the boys fight for the remainder, and fight and squabble 
they did all day. All night and next day the meat was 
smoked over green Avood fires. 
The great size of the body and extreme shortness of 
the legs are surprising. The leg bones are little longer 
than those of a man, but are tremendously thick and 
solid. The head and neck are very massive. The ani- 
mal, I should judge, weighed from four to five tons. 
The one at the Zoo in London weighed, I am told, six 
tons odd. The large tusks of mine were 2ft. pin. round 
the curve. 
The bullet had entered the head just above the ear, 
had split the back of the skull its complete length and 
gone out, carrjang away the other ear. My rifle is a 
Martini- Henry action and boring (.45caL, 8sgrs. powder 
and soogrs. lead), and fitted with a Lyman hunting rear 
sight and a sporting bead fore sight, and is a very 
handv, strong weapon, and hits hard enough to kill 
anything alive; the great trouble is that the trajectory 
is not as flat as one would wish and therefore dis- 
tances must be judged correctly if hits are to be made. 
My boys, knowing that the one hippo that was strand- 
ed at the bottom of the pool was more than they could 
carry, would not look properly for the other two, so 
doubtless these only went to. feed fishes and crocodiles. 
I have always regretted being carried away with^ ex- 
citement and killing three hippos where one sufficed, 
and I hope I'll keep my head next htint. 
With boys that happened to drop in I had twelve 
carriers to go back to the kraal with. I made them 
take equal portions for themselves and for me, and so 
had lots of meat to trade for vegetables, etc., and to 
eat for a couple o£ months. 
The fat lasted me nearly a year; it is much more 
delicate in flavor than pork fat and has not the same 
billious tendencies that lard has. Long boiling made 
it as solid as beef tallow. 
My boys all made themselves ill by overeating, so the 
much-feared "bellyaches" troubled them notwithstanding 
ing my havin" thrown the tail away. A couple of doses 
each of salts in warm water and then a little quinine 
fixed them up for the march back. 
The junction of the Pungwe and the Honde rivers 
(some few miles E. S. E. of where I hunted) lies about 
18 degrees south and 33 degrees east of Greenwich. 
When I got back to headquarters there Avere great 
dances and songs of rejoicing on the strength of gifts 
of meat exoected all around. It is my intention to go 
back to the Pungwe and kill another hippo soon. 
Shokulila a Gwanza. 
Rhodesia, South Africa, February, 1898. 
The Asian Birds in Illinois* 
Macomb, 111., May 15. — We have not heard anything 
of the imported chuckor partridge3 for over one year. I 
cannot help thinking they are still alive somewhere, but 
may have emigrated to another part of the State. They 
will live in any climate. When the mercury dropped to 
28 degrees below zero they would fly on top of the barn 
and seem to enjoy it. These birds can be bought in 
Karichi, India, for $1 per pair. Mr. H. W. Loveday, 
our State game warden, will recommend to the Governor 
to establish a game preserve in this State. Should this 
be done, I think we will have some foreign birds im- 
ported. India is full of beautiful game, and any of them 
will do well in this country. W. O. Blaisdell. 
The Forest and Stream is put to press each weeTc on 
Tuesday. Corre^ondenee int&niJed for pubUcafor, 
should -each us at the latest hy Monday, and as much 
earlier as pra4iticahle. 
Changes in Iowa Fauna and Flora* 
Civilization, so called, is not always "progressive"; 
but is in ways often destructive. No class of persons 
recognize the truth of this statement more forcibly than 
does the naturalist; and to a lesser extent, the socialist. 
For nearly forty j^ears the writer has been a resident 
of northern Iowa, and being b}' profession a naturalist 
has witnessed with sadness the havoc wrought upon 
our native fauna and flora by the hand of our boasted 
civilization. 
We are not one of those who look upon the past as 
containing all that is good and desirable, but we look 
with deep regret upon the passing of those good and de- 
sirable things which can never more be recalled. Only 
those who take an abiding interest in the fauna and flora 
of a region, and who have been intimately acquainted 
with it in any given region of the West for the past one- 
half or even one-quarter of a century, can form any ade- 
quate idea of the immensity of the change—and often 
consequent ill effect and great loss to mankind — ■which 
has taken place within this period. 
Along in the early fifties, when the northern central 
portion of Iowa was first settled by the whitcL, the 
native fauna was exceedingly rich and varied. Elk and 
deer occurred in droves, and were seen almost every- 
where; and even as late as 1885 their "shed" horns were 
occasionally met with. During the deep crusted snows 
of the exceedingly severe winter of 1856-7, however, 
most of these noble animals were exterminated by "hide 
shunters." 
Subsequent to this date comparatively few of these 
animals roamed this region, and to-day, as well as for 
many years past, not a single specimen of this species 
roams at large anywhere within the borders of this re- 
gion. 
The last buffalo of this region was killed in the early 
fifties, although prior to this time they roamed in great 
numbers over the rolling prairies. Gray and prairie 
wolves occurred in numbers then, and occasionally tim- 
ber wolves were seen. Now only the prairie wolf is 
left, and he few in numbers. The gray and red fox were 
quite common then, but now only at long intervals is a 
specimen of the former seen, while the latter has dis- 
appeared. 
Black bears and wildcxits were quite commonly met 
with in the timber along the streams when the country 
was first settled, but only an occasional specimen of the 
latter is seen in these present days, while not a specimen 
of the former has been known for at least twenty-five 
years. 
Other large animals were sometimes met with in this 
region, but they all disappeared many years ago. 
This was the trapper's paradise then; and otter, beaver, 
mink, muskrat and coons were very numerous. Crossing 
the smaller streams at intervals were seen numerous 
beaver dams; mink were met with along all the streams, 
ponds and sloughs in the region. To-day, in this their 
former home, an otter or beaver would be looked upon 
as a greater curiosity than a ferocious wild animal from 
some foreign land. 
Mink and muskrat are still with us to a limited extent, 
and so is tlie coon, although in greatly diminished num- 
bers. 
The skunk is with us, and has grown from occasional 
to many. The badger, which once was more or less com- 
mon on our uplands, has now become almost extinct, 
while the common gray rabbit has increased vastly in 
numbers since the early days, although occurring in 
abundance then. Up to within about three yeai's, the 
jack rabbit didn't occur here, but is now found in con- 
siderable numbers over most of northern Iowa. They 
are leaving the sparsely settled western prairies and 
making their homes in the fields of the well settled 
portions of our State. 
The weasel was once abundant, but is not often seen at 
the present time. The gray and striped gophers were 
once so numerous as to be considered a pest, and the 
former is still plentiful in some localities, while the lat- 
ter is becoming rare. The pocket gopher once occurred 
here in large numbers, and still is quite common, al- 
though in some respects their habits have changed great- 
ly since the early days. Chipmunks, gray and red squir- 
rels still abide with us, and have changed their habits 
but little or none at all. Woodchucks were unknown in 
early times, but are common now. 
Greater or lesser changes have been observed among 
all other fur-bearing species of the region— some have 
become extinct, while others have increased in numbers, 
and still others have changed their habits to a more or 
less marked degree. 
The reptilian and piscine faunas have also undergone 
equally as great a transformation as the others, The 
rattlesnake was once the dread of the early settlers, but 
is rarely ever seen now. The blacksnake or blueracer 
was once frequently seen, but went the way of the world 
long ago. The various species of snakes have, very 
greatly diminished in individual numbers, and other 
changes are noted among them. 
Fish of many kinds once swarmed in our waters, some 
of W'hich have entirely disappeared, while others have 
taken their place — been introduced by man. Other 
changes also are observed in this great class of life with 
us. 
In the insect world also other and vastly important 
changes have taken place, and this mainly through the 
agency of man. Often through blind ignorance of in- 
evitable consequences, civilization has disturbed nature's 
equilibrium, and consequently has suft'ered vastly for it, 
and still but few has'e learned the lesson their folly has 
wrought. 
Among the bird forms, the changes have been none 
the less startling. When the settlers first entered this 
region, the prairie chicken occurred in millions, and 
flocks containing thousands of these noble birds were 
seen in the winter. Our civilization has now so nearly 
destroyed them that it is difficult for the sportsman, 
equipped with the best of guns and trained dogs, to 
bring to bag more than from one to seven of these birds 
in a day atield. This bird with us has materially changed 
its habits since the early days. 
Quail, like the prairie chickens, have about "given up 
the battle," and are rapidly succumbing to their inevitable 
fate. Wild ducks, geese, brant, white -and sandhill cranes 
once were wont to stop with us in vast numbers on their 
annual migrations, but now they not only seldom ever 
stop, but have to a very great extent even changed their 
migratory course and avoid mainly this portion of the 
State. The once common and beautiful pelicans and 
swans are now rarely ever observed. 
The wild pigeon, which once was with us — stopping 
mainly in its migratory flight — in vast numbers, 15 
not now observed; in fact for very many years I don't 
know of a single individual of this species having been 
seen here. There have also been other and great changes 
in the bird life of this region since the country was first 
settled. I well recall the immense flocks of blackbirds 
which were with us in the fall, and how these flocks in 
their flight would reach unbroken for miles and miles, 
and what indescribable melody they would make as they 
settled down in some grove to sing. These scenes and 
events are among the sweet recollections of the past, 
and of a time forever gone. Perhaps the saddest change 
has been the utter passing away of a race- — or races — -of 
men from this region which for untold centuries had 
been their home. We heive refer to the Indian and the 
mound builders,. Only a lingering, fast-fg-difig piemory^ 
their silent tombs and almost vanished trg-iis-^ejiiains. 
The flora of this region has to the ordinapy oligefyer 
undergone perhaps a more noticeable ehange tii.an hs,§ 
the fauna. When this portion of Iowa was first settled 
the vast prairies were covered with a wonderful growtii 
of rank native grasses 4 to sft. in height, and the mj^r- 
iads of bright wild flowers made it a paradise of beauty 
and presented a scene which, when once viewed, could 
never be forgotten. 
Timber skirted the streams in belts of varying widths, 
and sometimes occurred as isolated groves on the prai- 
ries. The beauty and luxuriance of this flora it is im- 
possible to convey an adequate idea of to any one who 
has not seen it in its own wild glory. All this is 
changed now. The beautiful prairies have been broken 
up; their floral loveliness destroyed, and in their place 
is seen the stubble and the cornfields, The limited areas 
of timber have been recklessly reduced to aid in the 
accumulation of the almighty dollar. The result of this 
pitiless and almost criminal destruction of our timber 
lands is already being felt, and shows itself in the increas- 
ing aridity of our once moist climate, the shrinking and 
drying up of our water sources- — springs, lakes and 
streams. 
Of such vital importance to the welfare of our people 
and nation has this question of forest preservation be- 
come that the general government has begun in earnest 
to take steps to insure it. 
Clement L. Webster. 
Charles City, Iowa, 
In the Jungle. 
One of the neatest and prettiest stalks that has ever 
come under my notice was made by a friend (H.) some 
years ago when living on the Malabar Coast. He was a 
well-known shikari, and had killed possibly more big 
game of all sorts than fall to the lot of most hard- 
worked Government servants. 
H. was out one morning after spotted deer, and 
had_ only his favorite little small-bore rifle, which 
he invariably carried himself, being no believer in 
the usually inevitable gun carrier coolie or shikari, 
and much preferred being alone when out for a shoot. 
Having had ito luck, he was on the point of return- 
ing to camp, as it was getting unpleasantly hot, when 
he heard voices in the distance, evidently coming in his 
direction, so sat himself down to await the arrival of 
his unexpected visitors. 
The party were evidently in a considerable state of ex- 
citement by the row they kicked up, and on reaching 
ray friend began to unfold their tale of woe. 
They were timber contractors, they said, and had lost 
one of their tame elephants, a female, that had been 
enticed away by a tusker; they had followed the pair 
..some distance into the jungle, but the tusker had made 
for them, and was very vicious, they said, and what were 
they to do, and would the Sahib help them, and so on 
ad lib. 
Having satisfied himself that the story was apparent- . 
ly true, H. informed his visitors that if they would go 
and bring their elephants' mahout, he would see what 
he could do for them. 
This they promised to do, but said it would take an 
hour or so before they could return, as the mahout 
was in another camp some two or three miles away. 
On my friends agreeing to wait for a couple of hours, 
the timber contractors made " plenty salaams," and 
started off to bring their " anakaran," as the mahout is 
called in the language of the Malabar Coast. 
Before very long the party returned, bringing the 
missing mahout, who, after a long talk with H., assured 
him that he would faithfully carry out the instructions 
received as to the modus operandi, should they come up 
with the elephants. 
Taking one of the timber contractors as a guide, H. 
lost no time in starting for the scene of the abduction, 
and after a few miles' trudge they came upon the guilty 
pair, apparently dosing under a big cotton tree. 
And now commenced the stalk. The mahout had as- 
sured H. that, barring accidents, he felt sure he would 
be able to walk up to his female and hold her by the 
ear, as is their custom; and as by a bit of luck the tusker 
happened to be on the far side, matters were simplified 
considerably, so with a few extra words of advice and 
caution my friend and the mahout started off, leaving 
the timber merchant behind. 
Cautiously approaching the female, who showed no 
signs of alarm, evidently recognizing her keeper at once, 
the mahout, as directed, got up alongside of her, and 
catching hold of her ear induced her to stand perfectly 
still, and under her cover H. gayly marched up and found 
himself within about loyds. of the tusker, who was so 
far in happy ignorance of the approach of danger. 
The female, at first, seemed rather to object to a 
stranger coming up alongside, arid began to fidget about 
and otherwise show her disapprobation at being made 
a " stalking horse " of. So fearing a catastrophe, _H. 
moved oft' a few paces, while the mahout, by whispering 
soft nothings into the lady's ear, succeeded in pacifying 
her. 
TIm tatker, whose head had been partially hidden by 
