THE CALUMET NEWS — DECEMBER 15, 1909
The inventive genius of the pseudo-scientists has risen to frenzied heights in supplying the Smithsonian institution with creatures never found on land or sea. They have originated the Kirkak-Dik, the exact nature of which is veiled in some obscurity [Ed. Note: possibly the Kirk's dik-dik]: the Krumbo bird, which has a pair of loral plumes and is glossy green above with metallic reflections, and the guyastucus, which is white, spotted plentifully with green. In addition there are two or three fowl which Major Means, who is now on a Journey to the glaciers of Kenia, has not yet rounded up—the Pambafu bird [Ed. Note: pumbafu is idiot in Swahili], the Wood Buffin, otherwise known as the Salkelahoplensis Africanus, whose habitat is the forest about the old Arab fort Kismayu, and the Bartakansius Africanus, peculiar to one part of the country and never seen away from its home.
It is suggested here that a safe plan prior to the acceptance in the United States of any rumor of anything novel and unknown in the way of beast or bird, would be a search for an affidavit attached to the pelt.
From— The Calumet News. (Calumet, Mich.), 15 Dec. 1909. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
