Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1883-12-06
Central Park Menagerie.
THE ANIMALS N WINTER QUARTERS.
A DANGEROUS CROWD TO HANDLE.


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Winter is not an enjoyable season with
the inmates of the Central Park menagerie.
The out-of-door freedom which many of
them have enjoyed during the pleasant
months Of the year will soon be followed BY
six months OF close imprisonment, which
frets even those most habituated TO life of
confinement. Preparations have already
been begun by Superintendent Conkln for
the coming cold season. The long rows of
temporary sheds which have offered the
cames and cattle a slight shelter from the
summer storms have this wear been board
ed up and transformed into very comfortable,
but not particularly ornamental stables.
These are divided into apartments by long
bars Of gas pipe. which can be let down at
will, throwing the entire building into one
large room. The floor of this she'd is Of
hard pressed earth covered with a thick
coating Of sawdust and straw, and makes
comfortable if not luxurious bed for the
occupants.
The last stall holds the Kerry cattle,a tur-
buleut, wranging set Of beasts whose "lrish"
is ALWAYS up. The little bull has a red eye,
which he uses principally TO glare around
viciously at his fellow prisoners. He is
the hero Of a score Of CORY adventures,
and the victims of his sharp horns can be
counted BY the dozen. lie is fastened by
short ring at the furthest end Of the build
ing, where he has TO content himself with
stamping his stubby forefeet, switching his
short tail, and giving utterance to deep bass
roars
The polar bear and the sea lions are the
only animals in the collection who view the
apnroachipn with faplIpus pf
pleasure The bear, who has been swaying
backward and forward in his open cage all
the summer, painting with heat, breathes
more freely when the cold wind and rain
beat through his bars. and the sea lions who
have been disporting themselves in the large
aquarium, at Glen Island during the past
season, hail with delight the chill in the air
and the frost in the water. But not so with
their friend the long legged crane, who
shares their pond with them. He stands
shivering in his little house, first on one Of
his stills and then on the other, rarely
venturing out except at meal-tlme. Jack
Little, the new black bear, finds the DAYS
more comfortable than the nights, when he
curs himself up, his black nose almost
meeting his stumpy tail under his fat body.
Sammy" Gabe Cases gift, has been re-
moved TO one of the open cages in the yard
which has been occupied all the season by
black bear much larger than himself. The
first day the two bruins were placed in
separate but adjoining cages where they
could become accustomed TO each other at
safe distance. The next day they were put
into one large cage with barred partition
dividing it into two parts. and the following
day it was supposed that their acquaintance
had advanced far enough to remove the bars.
When the two bears found themselves to-
gether, each kept his own corner, closely
watching the other until dinner was served.
The larger bear proceeded to help himself
without any regard for menagere manners,
and Sammy" went to sleep hungry. The
next morning at breakfast the few visitors
in the Park and the inmates of the surround
ing cages were treated to a collar -and-elbow
wrestling and squeeze s-squeeze-can hug
cling match, which would have crazed a
Bowery audience with delight. 1t was fol-
lowed BY scratching set-to with sharp
claws. Five rounds were contested. and at
the conclusion harmony was secured and
the two pugilists ate out Of the same dish,
and have since then lived like two brothers.
And now, when they sleep at night they lie
so closely together that they look like
very large bundle Of buffalo robes with the
hair outside.
The eagle-house will be shut in from the
elements by heavy glass sashes and heated
by stove. The pgeon-house will be sim.
ilarly protected. In the monkey-house, and
in the place where the song-birds are kept,
a m-heating apparatus is used, and the
temperature will not be allowed to fall below
70 degrees.
In the cage where old "Joe,' the veteran
panther, was kept, are smaller animals. Joe