Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-09-07

tinction of walking between the "barrier
ropes" and the cages of the feroc;ous beasts
that would little sooner than not gobble up
newspaper man for luncheon The cages,
it is to be noted, are large, ornamental and
strong, and this latter quality determines the
reporter to risk his precious scalp within the
dead line. First in order is
THE MANDRILL
Or man monkey, huge Brazilian ape of the
largest species, who answers to Conklin's call
of '' Jim, come here, and grins in delight at
attentions shown him. He has for CON-
panion small dog, the latter serving to
worry him and keep his dander up for the
| amusement of the sight-seeker. Next is the
| giant kangaroo of Australia. meek enough
appearing animal, but which can defend itself
vaiiantly when attacked. Next is shown an
African lion
BORN AT HAYwARDs,
In this State, six years ago. 1t is a cross.
eyed lion; in fact, it has fearful attack OF
strabismus, and glares two or there ways at
one and the same time, and for this reason is
useless as a performing lion, and hence Co.
| lumbus, as he is called, is left to his cage,
where he makes leaps back and forth that re-
suit in rough knocks for his mob, as he always
miscalculates his distances. Then comes the
emu of New Zealand placid and hand
some animal the Albino deer of Madagascar,
beauty, and then
AN AsIATIC LIoNEsS
| Weighing nearly 500 pounds, four years old,
and the largest ever known in captivity.
| Next is diminutive, uninteresting specimen
of the cinnamon bear, and next an East India
antelope handsome creature. Near by are
two, three and four-horned sheep-odd pro-
ducts of nature, but presentable chaps with
|
leopard, one whose beautiful hide would make
! a rug that all the ladies would pronounce $50
charming" This animal breeds in captivity,
as does the lion and tiger, and most of the
cat family.
The next cage contains boa constructors, an
anaconda and several pythons, and behind
the glass wall is seen coal back negro I'M
coiling the living twisting mass of serpentine
vitality, and handling the great reptiles in
the most careless manner.
:" Is not that fellow in danger?'
"Oh, no, replies Conklin, che gets bit up
now and then but always cure him."
What Cure him ?"
Certainly. These reptiles are not VEN
omous. They kill by crushing. 1t is the
cobra that has poisonous fapgs."
And now one of the $50 feet of serpents lifts
up its fiat head and opens its mouth and
darts in lightning-like motions its fiery red and
forked tongue from its jaws, back and forth,
and finally fastens upon huttering pigeon
near by, and begins to swallow the bird, bill,
claws, feathers and all-whole, and as it goes
down the SNAKE charmer catches second
pigeon and pushes it after the first, and
Conklin declares his belief that the snake
would continue to take pigeons in that fashion
till he was stuffed with pigeon from end to
end like sausage. Leaving this repellant
exhibition, instructive as it may be, though
the beholder can't but think as he looks on,
| of the Devil and the curse of God that sent his
satanic majesty crawling on his belly, the
visitor is next shown
| DEN OF LIONS,
Asiatic by birth, three in number, and weigh
ing 700 pounds each.
DO you fear these fellows?''
well, yes and no. / must make them
fear me, or l need to fear them" replies
Conklin.
"You perform with them?"
Twice day"
You treat them kindly"
"Not by long shot. They have been
conquered by the application of red.hot iron
Any one of them would catch me up at any
time but for the fear they have for me, and
that fear keep alive by blows and punish
ment. The affection and kind hearted theory
wouldn't save your life two minutes" 1t is
a large cage and the lions are splendid fell.
lows, and Conklin boasts loudly of their
beauty and worth. Near by is big OK, not
so large as the pictorial representations would
| lead one to expect, for something must be al
lowed for the exaggerated expressions of that
wonderful man, whoever he may be, who
originates the matter that appears on circus
and menagerie bills. His fancy is unbound.
ed, his imagination without limit, his veracity
of the NEST elastic kind, his rhetoric the Won
der of the world, his grammar the astonish-
ment of all linguists-but the OK is "whop.
per nevertheless, and he is gentle and fat
chap and weighs 3, 100 pounds, and makes one
reflect upon the superior steaks that Johns "
carcass would yield.
ELEVEN cAMELs
Are next seen, chewing the cud Of reflection
and wondering among themselves what on
earth all these people are staring at. and like
all deformities, unaware of their cruelty ugly
shapes and imagining themselves probably
the ''prettiest birds " in all the show.
Next comes fierce looking wild boar of
Germany, a glance at whose nozzle carries
one back to the memories of the ancient
hunting era, when kings and courtiers fol-
lowed the boar with spear and hound, and
not unfrequently fell before his ferocious
tusks.
Next are to be seen two hippopotamus
hogs, and near by the wild yak of Tartary
and four Asiatic elephants, three of which
went on a tramping tour of their own up in
Nevada county, and were captured only after
a long and tiresome chase of many days.
Next to these is The sacred OK of India.
AN ANIMAL WITH ITS BACK UP
Permanently, and which has for its constant
companion rather holnely goat. Next in
order is the two horned black rhinoceros, and
splendid specimen he is, and then baby
monkey, born at Virginia City August 23d,
and clinging to its mothers body and resist
ing all attempts to remove it. Next in line
is ten-year- old African ioness and two
spotted hyenas of Africa a zebra, capable of
domestication, says Conklin; a Brazilian
tiger, ferce-looking and quarrelsome fell
low; the silver lion or panther of California,
a cage Of white silver crown cockatoos, cage
of rose cockatoos, and an apartment filled
with pigeons, which are fattening as food for
the serpents already described. Another
baby monkey, born April LIST Frank, mis-
chievous two,year-old monkey, and Abe, a
e-year-old chap. Then comes the children's
cage of ant-eaters, monkeys, foxes and dogs.
Next is shown Hoosier monkey, born at
Vincennes, Ind, May 9th. Then comes
the quarrelsome family, consisting of
hairless dogs, monkeys, coyote and the
ape Bolivar. The commotion this assortment
keeps up fully justifies the name given to the
group. Near by is the baboon ape, rascal
ly, mischieyous fellow. In an adjacent cage
is Senegal leopard, vicious beast, with
which ConkliD says he can do nothing. Next
to him is splendid eight-year-old specimen
of the Royal Bengal tiger, which despite his
apparent ferocity is the best-natured animal
in the menagerie.
fifteen years an animal trainer eight Of which
he has passed with MIR. Cole. An attendant
relates how at Frankfort one of the lions
killed its keeper and Conklin the same after
noon entered that lions cage and whipped
and conquered the brute.
1t is cleaned also that the elephants were
bought in Hamburg, that the larger one is
vicious and knocks people right and left
sometimes and while the reporter turns to
watch
THE SEA LION,
Which lives well in captivity, and has been
sporting in this close tank for three years,
Conkin relates that the only instance of an
elephant breeding in America of which he
has knowledge was that of the Philadelphia
elephant of some years ago. AS to the food
of his pets, Conklin says the carniverous, or
"meat animals" consume 125 pounds of
beef per day; the elephants get away with
ever so much hay and grain, while the
monkeys consume vegetables and the odds and
ends of the table. The man monkey is the
dainty fellow. He gets rice pudding daily
with liberal supply of raisins. The sea
l;op diamonds % mounds of Il ch daily