Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-12-15
What and How wIId Animals Eat.

Here is the bill of fare of the menag-
erie of the Botanical Garden of Paris.
The guests are numerous, varying gen.
orally from /, 100 to 1,200. Their tastes
are naturally different, according to the
divisions and orders to which they be-
long. In the first place, come the flesh
eaters, the lions, tigers and bears. These
each consume about eighteen pounds of
meat in twenty -four hours. The hyena,
although much smaller animal, receives
because of its greater voracity eleven
pounds. Only eight pounds are allowed
to the panther.
The great eater " ale house is the
elephant, which consumes 165 pounds
of bread, carrots, grass, straw and bran
After such repast he may we'll be
thirsty, and from eight to ten barrels of
water are ready to satisfy his herd.
The hippopotamus is inferior in height
to the elephant, but not in appetite.
His rations are like those of his neigh
Dor of the proboscis, only the bran is
replaced by coarser quality, which is
cooked.
The bears would accommodate them
selves to this regimen, but they have
meats, which are less dear.
The rhinoceros absorbs daily about 10
pounds of nearly the same nourishment;
he has also rice.
The other quadrupeds, such as the
giraffe and the bison, Notwithstanding
their great height. require much smaller
quantities of food, of which barley, hay
and bran form the principal parts The
deer, antelopes, sheep and goats receive
hay and grass.
The annual expense Of food for the
museum is $7,812, which is about 800
per day.
The bill of fare of the Geological Gar
den of London differs little from that of
Paris. Fish, however, are used in
greater quantities in the former. They
are designed for the birds and marine
animals that live upon them in a state of
freedom. All the fish brought for food
are carefully examined, as q sea-dog
came near strangling himself one day
with fish which had several hooks in
its mouth.
The sea.dog eats gluttonously the
otter, on the contrary, eats slowly and
chews carefully before swallowing. The
most greedy lovers of fish are the
pelicans. The keeper throws the fish
into pond then opens the gate and
leaves the passage free to the pelicans,
who rush in and the fish are devoured
in an instant. Dainties are generally
reserved for the monkeys. Turnips,
cook ed potatoes, apples, oranges, nuts
are given them, and all divided into small
bits.
The monkeys usually eat together,
which often causes very comical disputes,
much to the delight of spectators.
The birds of prey are fssss eitii rabbits,
guinea pigs, eggs, insects and sometimes
small birds. The serpents have gener-
ally but one meal in week. Their din
der, which they take seven days to di-
gest, sometimes consists OF o dozen
rabbits, twenty young guinea pigs and
as many birds, and rats and mice which
are given them alive, this being essential
TO the health and preservation of these
terrible reptiles. The venomous ser
pents are fed solely with rats and guinea
pigs. These poor little creatures sue
cumb quickly after the reptile has bitten
them.
The great pachydermatous animals,
such as the rhinoceros, hippopotamus,
and the elephant are fed in London as in
Paris. The last receives cabbages and a
few crackers, delicacy that he accepts
with much pleasure. Every evening a
new bed of straw is made for him. In
the morning his cell is thoroughly
cleansed, and the straw must be re-
newed. A visitor one day observed to
the keeper, Here is o very clean
beast, and very careful of her lodging ;
she would make an excellent house
keeper.
Oh, no, answered the keeper, "she
eats her mattrass every morning"