Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1874-11-19
FIRST EDITION.


A VISIT TO PHILADELPHfAs COLLECTION OF BEASTS
AND B1RDs-THE VARIED AssEsBLAoE OF WILD
LIFE.
As every sensible improvement which Phia.
delphia makes in the Park OF which she is 30
justly proud adds fresh lustre to her civic crown,
the Geological Gardens there have an interest
beyond that of ordinary places Of amusement,
and the late large and ndinteresting accession made
to their stock of animals is an event upon which
our sister city is to be congratulated. On fine
day even this late in the Autumn, few things
are more entertaining and agreeable than
VISIT TO THAT VARIED AssEMBLAdE
OF animal life and even from our own city the
trip is neither fatiguing nor expensive one.
The chief city RAILWAYS in PHILADELPHIA, with few
exceptions, furnish tickets providing transport
to and from the Geological Gardens and entrance
there for 4Octs., an arrangement which saveH
trouble and reduces the expense nearly by half
In the garden great improvements have been
made in the few months that have elapsed since
it was frat opened to the public. The buildings
which accommodate the animals so sumptuously,
have been multiplied as the number of their
tenants has increased, and they, az well as the
open-air enclosures, are kept in a state Of beau
tiful order and cleanliness, quite surprising un-
der the circumstances. The large building near
the entrance on which workmen are still actively
employed, il nearly completed and many of the
newcomers are already installed there among
the most interesting OF which are several
CAGES OF LEoPARDs AND ooELoTs,
beautiful, 1.-the, fierce creatures specimens OF
the rare spotted deer the sun bears from Java
gawky aud queer-looking and some very fine
porcupines. The lion whelps, kangaroos, and
aome OF the creatures now kept in the open air,
Will also soon be installed in this new residence.
or the dainty pavilions which dot the swes
and slopes of the part of the Park allotted to
Rl..n L.
ant with it's stained glass and gay decoration, is
the prettiest without and the most entertaining
within. There children, and grown folks too,
crowd unweariedly witnessing the antics which
In their queer caricature of humanity, constant
ly recall the theories of our descent from or at
least our knship with the absurd creatures.
Meanwhile the motley
CROWD OF MONKEYS AND BABooNs,
now greatly augmented by the late arrivals, dis
port themselves with as much gayety and self
possession as in their native forests. The peace
is toleraby well preserved among them, thanks
TO the energy and ability OF a monkey mother in
Israel who in addition to her family cares has
voluntarily assumed the duties OF police SER
geant. .l
1t is refreshing to an advocate Of Womans
Rights to watch this worthy matron apparently
absorbed in hermaternal duties, yet constantly
keeping eevere eye upon the rowdy bachelors
OF the community. Let one OF these roughs
infringe upon their rights or threaten the per-
sons of his younger and weaker brethren, and in
a twinkng that estimable lady is down upon him
infcting such discipline as makes him fly chat
tering and bowling to the farthest limits of space
Among all the creatures it was interesting to see
how the instricte of motherhood modify and
transform the utter sc ishness common to brutes.
Even the ugly repulsiveneas OF the great
Roussette bats, or flying foxes, became LEES
Objectionable in watching the mother clasp her
little ones to her bosom.
WRAPPING HER LEATHER WINGED ARMS
about it, till mother and child were safely en-
sconced in a complete waterproof cloak, prepar-
atory to hanging herself up by her heels for a
comfortable siesta.
1t was pleasant, too, to soc the droll looking
mother kangaroo enduring with the sweetest
patience the frisky assaults OF her young son,
even when that overgrown infant insisted on
smuggling hmself down for nap. In tho mater.
nal pouch, for which he was much too large and
evidently too heavy.
Peculiar attention seems to have been paid to
the
EAGLES or THE "zoo-zoo,
possibly with an eye to the impression to be pro-
duced by our national bird at the Centennial. In
their handsome and roomy house, with its ap-
propriate furniture Of Topped cedar trees and
piles of rock they really retain moie Of the i'm
pressive qualities Of the Bird o. Freedom than
we have seen in any other collection.
One great advantage which our American 10
illogical Garden Possesses over even the famous
ones of London and Paris is the extent and in-
terest Of the contributions Of animals indigenous
to our own territory. Colorado in particular fur
nishes very large and interesting quota. The
black, brown, and grizzly bears, who may be
paradoxically ranked among the 'llons" of the
place, all hail from there. Also a number of the
inest deer, There are
BIsoNs FROM THE FAR WEST,
prairie wolves from the central plains and large
cheerful settlement of the quaint little prairie
dogs or marmots. The rattlesnakes also are
creatures of which North America has the pleas
ant monopoly.
Finally, in leaving the entertaining gardens
and the beautiful park itself, the Wilmington
visitors reflected in spirit Of emulation not
untouched with sadness, that in the immediate
neghborhooi OF our city, too, lies the opportuni-
ty fora park not inferior in beauty to that upon
the banks of the schuylkill. The time will sure
ly come when we too will awaken to the desra-
bleness, almost the necessity of utilizing it for
the pleasure and welfare OF the public. May it
only not be left too late till vandal axes and
quarying tools have thoroughly done their work
leaving only a remembrance of the romantic
beauty OF the banks of the Brandywine.