File:The American Museum journal (c1900-(1918)) (18156951962).jpg

Title: The American Museum journal
Identifier: americanmuseumjo16amer (find matches)
Year: c1900-(1918) (c190s)
Authors: American Museum of Natural History
Subjects: Natural history
Publisher: New York : American Museum of Natural History
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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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.
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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

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