Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-24
The Animals IN Central Park.

Just now, the geological department presents
unusual attractions, from recent additions made
by Gift or loan. The loans are generous. Thus
in addition 10 the two vouug lions owned by the
park, Mr.. G. F. Bailey is wintering four large
lions there, and Mr.. P 7. 3lrnum has sent two
very fine ones. From the collection at the En-
pre- rink also wentdirect TO Central park al
elephant, and the baby elephant; rhi-
nocer0s, nyghau (antelOpc) and several
smaller animals, which will remain till
April. There is no better, if, indeed,
any other, place in the country where carni-
yorouS animals requiring warmth could be
wintered so advantageously. The temperature
in the animal and bird houses at the park is
kept at So (the heat is shut off on the side of
the house where the hayfteding animals are);
the animals are easily transferred by means Of
the transfer cages; they are thoroughly cared
for; aud during the time they are loaned they
afford increased attraction to visitors. MIR. Bar
mum bears n part of the expense of keeping
his animals, and furnishes man to attend
them.
But after all the board of the lordly lion is
no great matter He eats every day, excepting
Sunday, eight pounds OF beer at five cents
pound, thus boarding for S240 a week, and one
hundred and seyenty-eght pounds OF raw meat
day now supplies all the carnivorous animals
at the park, while for the hay-eaters OF all kinds
| five bales day will suffice. We had some GU
rioslty to know the expense OF keeping all the
| animals in the park in winter, including the
| sheep, deer, swans and other outdoor pension
| cfs, and from the head keeper we learn that the
| totll cost now per month is 81, 1922; but this
| includes the pay of seven keepers, the cost of
coal, meat, milk, hay, straw, vegetables, fish,
Dread, corn, Sc. The swans, geese, and ducks
| get now in place of grass, little cabbage every
| day, and they cat three bags, or six bushels, of
| corn in week. The Que hundred and thirty
| iuIl'blood Southdown sheep have been cat from
| time TO time during the winter, and have man
aged to "pick up deal for themselves, both in
| the way OF flesh and of grass, which the sacred
pruverb make Synonymous. The thirty deer in
the park (their own park have thriven well all
winter
The Sheepfod has been enriched by the addi-
ton OF four Syrian lat-tail sheep, and last Tues
day were added three African sheep, perfectly
black, with long penduIOus ears. Winter has
brought 10 the conSumptively inclined monkeys
the usual mortality. Out of sixty, twenty have
died.
"What has become of all your owls, MIR. C. ?"
we asked; 'we can find but three, and last fall
there were twenty owls and twenty eagles to-
gether in one large wire house."
Yes" said Mr.. G., "and the twenty eagles
are there now; but, YOU see, last fall was very
much put to it for room, which compelled me to
house the owls and eagles together They had
dispute about something, and-well, the eagles
got the better of the argument, and the three
surviving diSputants on the owl side are safely
Gagged by themselves"
The eagles, the full twenty, are healthy and
tough, and, as the kee .,er says, twill live for
ages" These are the bald-headed eagles; the
gold-headed eagle, of which the park has one
young one, is sure to go blind in cage. The
ostrches (which did not belong to the park,)
have been reduced by sale and death to a solita-
~ specimen; one died ten days ago. Consider,
ing that these birds will eat anything they can
pick up or which boys may offer them-liom a
bun TO brick bait is not at all surprising that
they should die suddenly. They are worse,
even, than the alligator which died some time
ago IN the park aud whose post mortem re-
yealed among other things in his stomach a
pound of tenpenny nails.
Among the great attractions in the geological
department, especially to children are two black
bear cubs now changing their coats and literally
almost bare, but as full of fun as TWO monkeys.
The mother of these cubs was shot in Florida
The hunter brought up the cubs con bottle"
(and ON steamer) and gave them to the park.
With their most amusing antics, they divide the
honors (among little folks) with the macaws
and the monkeys.
The capable and always courteous police force
was reduced Gas we noted at the time in the Eve
ming Post) ftty-three, late in November and ear
ly in December, so that the present force in
GLIDING the men in the smaller parks in the city,
is only seventy-nlne all told. Unless the force
is Increased again to the usual number in spring,
the summer duties of the men employed will be
at least equal 10 the wages.-N. y. Post.