The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1878-03-30
Educated Brutes at the New York
Aquarium.


There is now on exhibition at the New
York Aquarium number of trained an
imals, the performances of which indi-
cate degree ct intelligence which is
very remarkable. There are 10 Bron-
cho horses, q number of dogs, and o
pair of Rocky Mountain goats, all of
which possess accomplishment suffi-
cient to fill up long and interesting
programme. 1t is stated that the horses
were wild upon the plains three years
ago, and consequently that during this
brief period their education has been eff
fected. In beginning the performances
the whole 10 are first introduced, and at
the word of command they perform va
rious military evolutions, such march
ing in line abreast, in columns of fours
by the TANKS, ETC., both at common and
quick time. A handkerchief given to
one is passed to the next and SO on from
mouth to mouth of the 10 /; any one horse
called by name steps forward, and final
ly the act is closed by one of the number,
who goes to each of his comrades in
turn, and, crowding him out of the line,
pushes him with his nose as signal for
exit.
Each horse is then introduced in turn
to exhibit his special accomplishments.
One walks up and to the middle of a
balanced board, and there by moving
his fore feet oscillates the plank, ac-
commodating every muscle of his body
to the movement. Finally he retires to
one end of the board, bearing that ex-
tremity down and leaving the other high
in the air. A second horse now called
in puts his nose over the elevated end
of the plank, forces it down until he can
plant his fore hoofs on it,
and then mounts thereon. The
curious sight is then presented of two
horses at the respective ends of the
"teeter" gravely swinging each other
up and down. The difficulty of teach
ing all this to an animal so careful as to
stepping on insecure supports as the
horse is can well be imagined. Perhaps
the most remarkable feats accomplished
on the board, which is quite narrow, are
the turning around of a horse (who
stands directly over the fulcrum, and is
compelled while turning to balance him
self with great care), and the rolling of
barrel over the whole length of the
plank. Trainers find that it is an ex-
ceedingly troublesome undertaking to
get horse to do any thing with his
front hoofs which involves raising them
to any height, but here the animal plants
both hoofs on barrel and rolls it up
one side of the balanced board. Then
as the latter swings over the horse
catches the barrel with the rear side of
his hOofs, and walks down the steep in
cline holding the barrel back. There
are several tricks commonly performed
by trained horses in circuses which these
animals execute with remarkable readi-
ness and accuracy. One of them selects
a flag of given color out of three diff
ferent hues; another unties handker-
chief knotted around his hind leg, or
around that of another horse; a third
jumps over gate, then turns and pulls
a string which fires pistol attached to
its surcingle; fourth waltzes in excel
lent time to music; and a fifth, a mag
nificent cream-colored animal, accom-.
plishes an astonishing leap over a six
foot gate and four horses placed side by
side against it.
The exhibition of the horses is fol-
lowed by that of a troop of dogs, one
of which exhibits considerable skill as
rider on pad-saddle. 1t leaps over
banners and through paper hoops, and
finally springs upon a platform under
which the horses passes. Then as the
horse returns at gallOp around the
ring the dog springs from the platform
back upon the saddle. The eagerness
of the dog in watching for the return
of the horse, and its prompt retrial in
case of failure, seem to show that it
takes actual pleasure in its perform
ances. r...
The troupe of trained dogs appear to
belong to no particular breed-a fact
somewhat extraordinary, as trainers
usually prefer to teach the intelligent
French poodle. The performance COM
mences with roll-call, each dog answer
ing to his name by sharp bark. One
animal then dances, two dance on their
hind legs and seat themselves human
fashion on chairs, and others jump the
rope. The most curious trick is one in
which all participate. At the word of
the trainer one of the animals takes off
its collar with its fore paws. As the
collar falls upon the ground little dog
runs forward, seizes it, and scampers
away. Another animal pursues
him, regains the collar, and puts
it on. The trainer then asks, "What
ought to be done to dog that steals?"
No sooner are these words uttered than
two dogs jump upon chairs, to which
uprights having large hooks at their up
per extremeties are secured. A third
dog picks up cross-bar in his mouth,
carries it to the two on the chairs, and
these lift it up and insert it on the hooks.
The trainer meanwhile slips q moose
over the small thief head, and another
dog grasps the end of the rope and
drags the culprit to the gallows. The
problem then is how to get the rope
over the cross-bar, but this is quickly
settled by the executioner jumping over
the bar with the rope in his mouth. The
hangman then pulls the cord, and lifts
the struggling victim into the air, keeps
him up for few moments, and lowers |
him apparently dead. A wagon is now
brought in and the hanged dog placed
in front. Immediately one large dog
places himself between the shafts, two
more seat themselves upright on the |
seats, and another two push the vehicle
from behind, and with the exit of the |
latter this little melodrama, which is |
played through without a word from the |
trainer or any other help than the afix- |
ing of the moose, terminates.
The accomplishments of the Rocky |
Mountain goats-large white animals |
with enormous horns-sre the more Gu