The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-10-15
The Central Park Menagerie.

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The New York Central Park Mena.
perie is q source of never-ending eater.
tainment, not to the. children alone. but
to their guardians as we'll. for there are
few people too dull to look with interest
on s'wfld beasts" One never grows
weary of watching a lon-ithe be in a
cage-and eagerness to see the monkeys
is universal. The scene in the monkey
house at the Pork on q crowded after
noon passes description. One must wait
patiently for chance to get to the cages,
for men, women and children, push and
struggle for good look at these odd little
beasts. The. ubiquitous street-boy
wriggles through the crowd like small
worm to gain . front place, and house.
hold pets of few summers. perched
securely upon papa's shoulders, shrek
with delight. There are at present Id
the cages baboons from Africa, capuchins
from South American forests, rnacaques
from India, spider-monkeys from Costa
Rica, and numerous other varieties. All
are alike amusing, and full of grotesque,
half-human frolic. Now a serious big
monkey, apparently full of years, dangles
q rope, upon which the smaller ones
twist and turn, until, the rope being
dropped suddenly, they all tumble In a
heap to the floor, only to scramble up
and begin new tricks. And SO the in
cessant monkey.play goes on, and we
crowd our way out into the fresh air,
and linger before the cage where the
great American bison stands, mournfully
and in silence, asiflonging for the freedom
of the plains in the Far West. The poor
bison inspires pity; and 80 do the eagles,
which futter heavily about the cage,
screeching in dismal discordant fashion.
as If protesting against confinement in
the very land where they are the esymbol
of liberty. The pigeons, owls, and other
birds in the large aviary, appear content
ed enough. The pigeons plume them
selves and look contemp ptuously on the
wranglings of q crowd of ofsparrows, which
have taken possession OF one OF the large
feed dishes to the utter exclusion Of all
their feathered sisters. But the sparroW
Is always q loafer and thief, and as such
we must accept him. ''" > ~ = ~, - :.
During the summer. numbers Of ami.
mails are chained on the grounds around
the buildings, or confined in outside
pens and cages. Here are different spe.
cies oflarge-h horned cattle quietly munch-
ing at heaps of fresh.eut grass, or rest
inc in the shade. Here, too. is a. ahideous,
fiabby little elephant, standing patiently
and quietly under tree. the cynosure OF
a bevy Of wondering boys and girls.
Across the path is cage through which
tank of water, placed on. the top,
pours q continuous shower, and In the
refreshing dampnessi istand three white
polar bears, swaying their heads to and
fro without ceasing for an instant.
There are black bears, too, trotting rest
lessly In their cages, and In q pen near BY
a group of solemn caInels are wagging
their Jaws from side to side. Other pens
contain graceful spotted ideer (Which
push their soft noses through the rail
ings for handfuls of fresh grass zebras,
llamas, Angora sheep, and other herbl'
vorous animals. A large inclosure viii
a tank ir the center contains the seals
and here is the rare sight Of = mother
sea-lioness and her baby. The infant
was born during the journey of the
mother to New York. It appears to be
a thriving child, and the mothers ten.
derness toward her offspring is very
touching. As we gazed at this move
sight, q tall lordly English crane st:lked
across the inclosure, before whose pres.
ence the seals fed precipitantly, and al
the door ofthe seal house there appeared
a large gray seal, which stood CALMLY
gazing out upon the, scene. as 8 hermi,
might sit in the doorway of his cell. +,
Within the buildings the vicious and
savage animals are confined. There are
panthers, tigers, wildcats curled up
asleep and looking more like 'nice
pussy' than a beast to be dreaded, and
lions, noble, grand and shaggy, looking
out through the iron bars Of their cages
with stolid, disdainful glance at the
gazing crowd. These great beasts,
i:owever, arc not altogether wanting in
affectionate feeling, for one OF the keep
ers of the mcnagerie having been re,
moved not long since, the lions roared
for him SO at night that the slumbers @
/ the inhabitants of the handsome resi-
dences along the Fifth avenue side o.
the Park were disturbed and broken by
terrible dreams of the Ozark. Continent.
A menagerie is like u large family, anf
has its episodes Of birth and death. I'M
death list ut the Park during last yea
includes an elephant, lioness, a puma
bears: and several smaller animals. II
nearly every case death was the result o
hardships endured during a long .voyag'
in confined quarters, the hygienic con
ditions of the Park menagerie being II
themselves favorable to animal life
During the same period. nine lions, tou1
prairie wolves, two camels, zebu
several deer, and large numbers OF tht
feathered tribe were born.-HaTper''
Magazine.