The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1879-08-09
How Brutes sleep.
NEW York sun.l

passed out of Barnum Circus ana MEN,
agerie in its recent exhibition, only
seven or eight gas jets were burning IN
the large building. DIR. George Q. b.
Starr. press agent of the circus and ex-
Deputy Coroner of Westchester, took
the writer by the hand and led him in
tip-toe to one of the monkey cages.
Back in the dark corners of the floor
were two black clusters. He scratched
the cage with his cane, and instantly
dozen whitish spots appeared on the
surfaces of each of the clusters. These
were the faces of the monkeys. They
were held perfectly still for short time.
but when another gas jet was lighted
nearer the stage several monkeys broke
away from their companions to leap
from perch to perch and squeal like
bats. DIR. Starr said that the monkeys
sometimes roasted like chickens on their
perches, but such q peculiarly was not
observed in any of the cages. Mr.. Nc
Clean, very trustworthy keeper, says
they often indulged their propensity for
fun by pulling each Others tails and
pinching eaeh other at dead of night.
Then the whole cage will set up chat
ter. Monkeys never snore, but there is
always heard shifting sound, the pre-
monitory symptoms of consumption, of
which they generally die on account of
the coldness and changes of northern
climate. In separating into different
clusters to sleep each species seeks to
keep by itself as much as possible.
DIR. Starr said the pelican usually
squatted on the floor of his cage like
duck in his coop, but it was found roost-
ing on the edge of O water tank in its
cage. Its big webbed toes are furnished
with long. sharp, curving claws, and
clutched the metal-covered edge with
firm hold. It's beak, nearly foot in
length, rested along its back. When q
keepers hand was thrust wearily be-
tween the bars, the long beak, as it
seemed, with a single motion moved
viciously from its back and struck
bar of the cage against which
the hand had rested. After that
it stood up on guard, show
ing its long brown legs, and awkwardly
brandishing its beak. The snakes lay
motionless, most of them being in clus-
ter The ostrich lifted itself from a
squatting position on the floor of its cage
when the visitors approached, looked out
of one eye inquiringly and tetered its
long neck up and down, as if it were
balancing its body with it on its two un-
calmly legs. The kangaroo lay a long
time without moving. At last, aroused
by the conversation of its midnight
guests, it suddenly lifted its head, and
with its tail gave thump or two on the
side of its cage. Its tail is very long,
thick and powerful, and when it is at
tackled in close quarters it is said to
whirl about and use it like club. After
a short time 1t sat upon its launches and
began to yawn and to scratch its sides
with its short forelegs, like monkey.
The front of the mandrill baboon's cage
was closed with kind of horizontal
shutter When this was being removed
| the creatures paw missed keepers 8
hand only by half an inch. 1t stood on
all fours, about three feet high, and
| glared through the bars with its gray,
sunken eyes, throwing queer express
sion of cool contempt into its blue
cheeks and bright carmine nose. 1t
would occasionally thrust out its chin,
decked with a short, sandy beard. 1t
has acquired the pet name of Dritt, but
it is said to be very treacherous, and
when it is angry it has been known to
put forth strength equal to that of two
men. It took chew of what the keeper
said was tobacco, rolled it about in its
mouth, and appeared to enjoy it. DIR.
Starr said that it could smoke, but that
it was not allowed to have matches. The
capybara, a kind of hairless South
American hog, scrambled up when it
heard noise, and ran to its trough, over
which it stood looking expectantly at
those who had disturbed it. The little
sun bear was rolled up in black ball in
corner of it's cage, while the first sight
of the grizzly in another corner showed
it swaying noisslessly to and fro. The
striped hyena was roaming about in its
cage. A ridge of coarse hair arose along its
back when it was disturbed, and 1t re.
tired to the rear of it's cage to glare at its
visitors. 1t kept up low but unceas-
| ing growl It retains the wild instincts
| of it ancestors. and the keepers say that
this low growl can be heard nearly all
night 1t howls prediction of storm
several hours before the storm comes.
Savage Kisses were heard from two
black leopards before the visitors arrived
at their cage When neighboring gas
jet was lighted their glistening teeth and
red tongues came into view. Their up
per lips were drawn back as they
crouched on the floor, and their short
ears were laid back until it seemed as If
there was no room for any brains in their
serpent-like skulls. They are the fiercest
of all the beasts in the menageries, and
SO wild that when they are changed to
new cage they will not eat for several
days A large spotted hyena was found
growing in the dark and twisting uneas-
lily on his back with his feet in the air.
He weighs $50 pounds. He Immediately
got up and, retiring to the back of the
cage, glared menacingly. A wildcat
sprang to the rear of its cage, when we
approached, and crouched as if for
spring. A moment afterward it sat up,
looking as innocent and as unconcerned
as house cat after it had eaten CANA
ry 1t killed three Of its brothers last
summer. A jauger glanced carelessly at
the midnight party as they passed its
cage, but otherwise affected no disregard
for them. Two lions, born in Central
Park two years and half ago, lifted
their nozzles from their front paws,
stretched out in front of them, and
showed their fine, large fronts while they
blinked lazily at newly-hghted gas jet.
Showmen like lions, on the whole, much
better than tigers, because they are not
so treacherous; but they say a bad lion is
worse than tiger. The other day, when
these two lions were fighting over bone,
Joseph Barrett, one of the keepers, en-
tered the cage and took the bone away
from both of them. Nevertheless, all
lions are dangerous at all times.
Before approaching within reach
of lion, keeper always tries
its disposition by coaxing words and
by offers to pet it. If it holds its head
down to be scratched it is considered to
be in safe mood to handle. The
rhinoeeros sleeps with hoarse snore,
and resembles huge, over-fat hog as its
body spreads out over the bottom OF the
cage. The one in Barnum's museum is
said to weigh 1900 pounds. All of the
frame work of the wagon on which the
cage rests is of steel. 1t is said that it
would be the most dangerous animal in
the menagerie if it should escape in an
angry mood. Though usually very slug
glish, 1t is terribly quick in action when
angry, and there is practically no limit
to its strength.
The four or five baby elephants stood
in row, fastidiously selecting choice
spears of hay with their restless trunks,
while Emperor and his huge mates lay
sprawled out on their sides, their upper
sides being rounded up into formidable
mounds of flesh The effect of the light
voa fo Ynake savaral of them lurch back