The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-06-06

as the double horned Sumatran," covered
with hair which is variation upon the
usual rhinocerous hide. This one cost
81 900 sterling IN Calcutta, to say nothing
OF the cost of transportation, food and at
tendance on the voyage
Real Bengal tigers are worth $1,000 a
Pair. The Bengal tiger is beautiful beast.
He is often heard of but seldom seen.
Every show prctends to have one or two,
and generally exhibit for them some infe-
ridr species Of cat. A panther often per-
sonates the Bengal fraud.
A pair of panthers if they can agree to
live peaceably together in the same cage,
are considered worth $4,000.
Leopards command $4,000 to $4,000 q
pair. They are among the most beautiful
of all wild beasts.
Camcls being useful animals and not
beautiful are worth only 5000 piece.
This may be bad lesson, but it is true.
Beauty commands more money and respect
than utility. The poor camel cannot help
its hump back, made so for good purpose,
but its value depreciates because it is beast
Of burden, and can load u hundred miles
day over the burning sands, A pair of
white camels once brought $4,000
command good price in this country,
provided the Darwinian theory is not ac-
cepted as Gospel truth. In that case, the
monkey would become totally worthless as
property under the operation ofthe fifteenth
Amendment. Under the present arrange
ment of species. African monkeys are the
most valuable. Those from South America
take cold when they move Ncrtl, and soon
die of consumption.
Ostriches are worth $500 to $500 Il pair
They would rather die than be caught on
their native heath. To capture them in
wolves injuries that are sure to result in
death to the bird. They arc obtained by
making geese hatch ostrich eggs, and the
goose never knows any better until the
newcomer refuses to 90 swimming, and
commences to cat forbidden goose-fruit,
sticks and stones and like.
1t requires great care to raise ostriches
in this climate. They have to be brought
up by hand. Their appetite is not at all
delicate, but when they can get it they pre-
fer fresh meat to iron, nails, shot and such
indigestible articles. This foolish bird does
not eat minerals and metals because it rel
ishes them, but because it can. Its chief
desire is to be eating, and it is too stupid
to recognize any difference in victuals.
A gorilla has never yet visited Europe
or America. Du Chaillu got hold of all
amiable one once, and thought he could
send him safely to Europe. The gorilla
is a great glutton. He has most vora-
cious and everlasting appetite, and, unlike
the ostrich, is very dainty about his food.
Du Chailiu put his gorilla aboard ship,
with, as he thought, enough provender to
last the voyage, but he made great error
in calculation. Having nothing to do but
eat, he did nothing else. He finished up
his rations, persstently refused ships fare,
and actually starved to death, nineteen
days out from Africa. A gorilla would
be worth mint of money in this country
if he should turn out to be lawful property
under our constitution, and could get
enough to cat.
The eating capacity of the gorilla intro
duces the general subject of the eating of
animals.
A first-class menagerie requires from 800
to 500 pounds of raw meat daily for lions,
tigers, leopards, etc. A healthy elephant
is said to cat from 500 to 700 pounds of
hay per day, besides pocketing apples,
cakes, etc, given him by the children for
desert.
Camels eat about twice as much as q
horse, of the same provender.
Giraffes eat hay, oats and corn, but if
they can do no better they can make liv-
ing off young trees
Bears are vegetarians, but all vegetarians
are not bears.
Sea lions eat 100 pounds of salt fish a
day. Fresh water fish are not good for
them.
The menagerie property in the United
States, including animals, apparatus and
material requisite for their exhibition and
transportation is over 100000 worth.