The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-06
TIE CREAM OF THE PRESS.
NOV THE Wild BEASTS ARE FED IN
THE QU1h ER CITY.
Talk with the Superintendent oftbo PhiIn-
dolphin ZooIuptcuI Gs rdens.


" We arc getting along quite well. md
VIII be able 20 make a right nice showing when
our centennial visitors arrive. How much have
we snsn,i uid y9n ioo ~ Well, We have already
ne conNers tipn took place in house known
rs the "'drnlvpra.' gnd the parties were Capt.
"whnt'sa lion IKE that worth2" said the re-
porter pointing to the nne male specimen that
was eng ged growing at him.
800 Well rcphcd thelC plain, 81 couldn't say
Ih.re IS no standard " valuation for such ant
mails I've bought one for So. and have known
thenl to sell flr $3.50 and $j.tO1 You've got to
market value.
there's your old friend who held the Chesa-
pehhe, pointing To the lttcst acquisition in the
leo nrd line. Hes just cross a. ever. He
i-h't fond Of forming nov acqu,int Noes. rms
one here ~ a female Of the japanese species
She.7 bad lot. she's tho one that ate her three
Suppo-e you emil ihteu the public as to the
feeding of these animals Z"
-. W u. all carnsorous animals fed six
times week. We count one day out OF tn
scvcn-Ihur-day."
why do you make them fast one day In the
"You sec. we try 10 follow nature. None Of
these animals In their wild state succeed In and
nreak IN otucr 10 provide against exiSencies
thHt might arise. You see we get our supply q {
me I from hutcherine firm that Is under con
tract TO supply us. Ncl, now, suppose they
should f"il MS for day or Two. or the meat
should come In frozen, then, as matter Of
course, the animals could not he fed and their
health would suffer. Inch IL the biggest eater
Why. the ncuril tiger. lie aud the ior an, the
heaviest eaters. Meare giving HE tir,r ut.ra
than the lion. His Al Owance l. sixteen rounds
of meat per dav. How much does 1t take TO
serve al the cirniyuraf Wei, lets see one
hundr q anu eighty pounds"
Counting nft,-two weeks to the year aud six
days to the week. this would make the total
amount uf meat used 55,ltJ pounds. which. at
six cents per pound, fuot- up a cost per snnum
Of $h8d9GO for food for the caruivora alone.
The hvenas you'd suppose to ne big meat
eaters wouldn't Nouf" said & 1T. r.
We answ' red that such g oar ouinlon.
" Well a. isn't So" sgid the Captain. They
homes. when they MUNICH aud crunch and grow
fat on. See how sleek they look. All the AMI
mails REQUIRE more or less bone food for the
Now, the birds we feed regularly every day.
Az the seed eating birds nave enough seed set
ietoie them each dav II Last them twenty-four
hours. The monkeys we feed twice aday. For
IRE staSt They get tread and ms, aud for din
you knOw' the visitors are continually feeuing
taen."
,,, liqys they any special favorie in the vege-
on, m,. yes.i They are extremely fond OF
sweet potatoes"
"How about the snakes. CaptainY"
can't say much about the snakes, a. we
hardly know when they do eat. We nave to
keep Offering the food. and when II sui : th, m
alone Sometimes tncy'l feed once ~ two or
three weeks, sometimes every two: or three
months. aud they h. We been known to do with
out for TX months"
~ nat fhei' bll ~ fare 2"
N"We generally give them rats. guinea pigs.
r,hNit-, pigeons, frogs. mice. and SIN u tird~.
The rg'tlrsuatt- seem TO pref. rIts aud small
birds. The ri.s and rabbits We ave 90 tno lni-.
All are given them alive. They wouldn't think
Of touching ANYTHING dead"
Nv ere do you get your supply Of rats and
Rlrht here why, the grounds are ovcrrun
with them. WHY. .ir, we've cot some waterr rats
over there" pointing To- the beaver dam. "t hnt
come up and take tn food right away from 'he
beavers. The rhiuOccrus we feed ON raw. Gran.
and potatoes The bears we feed prlucip NV On
sen III. II FaI VA ms s al. tx..