THE WATER ELEPHANT OF CENTRAL AFRICA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 330, 17 June 1911, Page 10

THE WATER ELEPHANT OF CENTRAL AFRICA

*m Mr. K. Lydrkker write to the London Times as follows:-—I saw a notice in the Daily Mail to the effect that Dr. fc',. Troueseart had announced the discovery in Central Africa of a so-called "waterelephant," rumors of whose existence have for some time been current. [ thereupon wrote to Dr. Trouessart asking for further information, and have received in reply a copy of the Paris scientific journal La Nature for January 14, which contains a note, of which the following is a translation:—"We have just obtained additional information with regard to the mysterious animal which inhabits the lakes of Central Africa, and which the natives call by this characteristic name on account of its aquatic habits. The following is what we have learnt from Mr. Le Petit, one of two explorers sent by the Paris Museum of Natural History to these little-known regions, more especially from the point ol view of their fauna, as witness the history of the nkopi. It was at. TombaMayi, on the northern shore of Lake Leopold IT., that Mr. Lc Petit saw these animals. That lake is situate on the left bank of the Pppcr Congo, in the district of Lukeni (Belgian Congo). The wafer-elephants, which formed a small herd of five head, halted al a distance of 500 yards, in such a manner that Mr. Le Petit was enabled to observe them for some seconds before they plunged into the lake. The trunk and ears are remarkably ?hort: the heck, on the other hand, is longer than in the elephant, and the height'docs not, exceed about lift. There are no signs of lnsi;s. The prints of their feet, in the mini are very different from those of the elephant, and natives readily distinguish between the two. The animals, when the caught sight, of the travellers, plunged into the water, and. leaving only Hie summits of their bends and trunk's exposed, swam towards the opposite bank. These details, coming from a trained observer, are sufficiently precise to leave no doubt concerning the existence of the animal, whatever"may be its zoological affinities."