The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-08-28
FEEDING THE ANIMALS.

| u Itubbtt
Near the hour of two p. m. on any day
except Sunday the visitor at Central
Park geological gardens, New York,
may witness the feeding of the animals.
Sundays are excepted, because, says
Mike, the keeper, Sunday is "fasting
| day with the Critters" The carnivores
need this periodic interval for their
health. Meat eating creatures naturally
gorge themselves, if possible, and then
| lie down TO rest, whereas good digestion
waits on appetite, and health on both.
50, says Mike, we help them to an OBJ
servance of their normal condition once
week. Empty stomachs for Sunday.
The feeding time brings vision of
pandemonium no conception of it is
| possible until it is witnessed. Brute
nature, as well as human nature, shrinks
| from responsibility, even in the matter
of eating and drinking. Anxious and
| expectaEt as the brutes are, they all
seem to dere on the old Asiatic lion
to announce the coming forage. They
| get FESTIVE in their way, but it is quite
plain that they look to him for definite
impulse. The king of beasts, at this
| interesting period, crouches with much
dignity and looks steadily through the
| big window towards the arsenal door.
| All eyes are fixed at him. At the first
sign from him all is uproar, tumultuous
plunging and roaring; the heavy and
quick strides of the lions and tigers jar
their cages fearfully; the leopards leap
| and plunge over and under each other,
and execute most wonderful vaulting.
| Each creature has its characteristic
movement. Meantime the air is rent
by unearthly yells, among them none
| more strange than the voice of the by
enas, which canter in most Iudlcrous
style up and down the cage and laugh
Historically. They laugh-that is the
only word to express it-yet the sound
| is like the continuous squeaking of an
upright steam saw, slightly interrupted
at intervals as if some hardk net arrested
its progress. All this time the little
elephants have been pumping and stir
ring the air, and looking as if they were
| trying on the last new waltz. OF the
larger animals the bears are the most
deliberate and demure !; they do not par
ticipate in the general excitement, which
is mostly confined to the strictly carniv-
orous animals.
The pumas are somewhat deliberate
in their actions, but they compensate by
an occasional yell that breaks through all
other sounds and fairly chills the blood
an enlarged caterwaul, pitched on a
demoniac key. The magnificent jaguar
the South American tiger-is also
dignided in his bearing. Conscious OF
great power, he takes his share of food
as his right, and eats deliberately, as
becomes his rank.
All is quiet now, save the low snarl
of selfish brute, or the crushing
sounds of mastication. Some hungry
jaws are grinding the very bones. Not
every day can one zee serpents fed !;
but we were fortunate in being present
on one of the notable occasions when
MIR. Conklin announced that he had
litter of newborn rabbits to s'feed out. 3"
The snakes, responsive to the late
cheerful advance in temperature, had
petitioned for sustenance. In large
glass cage, situated on the grass border
near the sea lions, are several rattle
snakes, Florida serpents, and black
snakes from our northern pastures.
The genial warmth of the sun, height
ened by the glass cover, had stimulated
serpentine life into quite hopeful activ-
ity. Mike produces the desired prov
ender, and the reptiles acknowledge his
kindness. There is O very perceptible
awakening, and Immediately on the
entrance of the rabbits the black heads
are seen lifted above the rank growth
of clover that lines the cage. A marked
difference is noticed between the snakes.
The rattle snakes are inert, living at
length, and passively Selling their prey
as it approaches thcm.
The blacksnakes, on the contrary,
all attention their heads are raised as
if listening to the tread of the prey.
At sight of it they stretch forward with
open mouth and strike. To take their
prey headforemost-which they invari-
ably do-they execute some maneuvers,
being ready to coil around the victim if
need be. His coiling is characteristic
OF the blacksnake, as we had an oppor-
tunity to witness on this occasion. One
of the blacksnakes had swallowed a
rabbit, and peered about for more his
eye fell upon the half-swallowed prey of
the rattlesnake, which was quietly
enjoying the slow but sure process Of
saliva coating his evening meal. With
out ceremony the blacksnake seized the
rattlesnake by the throat and demanded
a disgorgement. The rattlesnake, in
his stolid manner, refused, but made
no demonstration. He lay at length
and evidently trusted to his powers of
endurance and his fearful tangs for
protection. His antagonist now re-
leased his hold and seized the part of
the prey left outside, sensibly conclud-
ing that now or never he had chance,
for the inward,y inclined teeth of the
rattlesnake are surely sending the
morsel out of sight forever. A violent
jerking succeeds no better, and now he
quickly sends coil upon coil around the
rattlesnake, putting in operation his
greater power. The rattlesnake keeps
his hold with praiseworthy tenacity, his
eyes flash with rage; his head is
swollen to the utmost. His assailant is
thoroughly in earnest he is all action.
A great commotion is aroused among
the other snakes. The member from
Florida retires to the gallery the
second rattlesnake is awakened into
activity by the plaintive cries of the
half swallowed rabbit and the black
snakes are darting through the green
grass and clover in search of more
prey.
A crowd of interested spectators had
now collected. There was now first
rate "snake fight" at hand, certainly,
and there seemed to us no reason to
doubt that the blacksnake would win by
CRUSHING the other to death. We were
doomed to disappointment /; for the
tender hearted Mike could not see his
pet endangered to crafty us, and he
wisely essayed to "part EN-" This |
was a task of no little difficulty. He
pushed hole through the coils of the |
and shook him vigorously |
for whole. At last the reptile released |
his hold
1t is urged by some naturalists that |
the blacksnake does not exert crush
ing power by the coil. On this occa-
sion, certainly, our specimen seemed
L. l..
purpose. He did succeed in wrapping
coil upon coil around him, causing enor-
nous distention of his jaws, but not
quite releasing mis- prey from his teeth.
What might have occurred had the bat
tie lasted longer we cannot say. It
seemed as if the continuance of such
power would result disastrous
" for the victim. When the blacksnake
struck the rabbit it instantly and adroit-
y used its coils to arrest it, managing
hem as man would his hand to grasp