The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-05
THE WILD ANIMAL TRADE.
Disastrous Effect of the Troubles in the Sou
dan and Afghanistan.

Disastrous Effect ofth Troubles in the Sou
dan and Afghanistan.
Philadelphia Times.
''The row in the Soudan is going to play havoc
with the animal trade this year." said Superin-
tendent Brown, at the Geological Garden, this
afternoon. GAS long there is war there of
course no animals can be exported from that
portion Of Africa. Lions are very high now,
although the lion market is dull. A good pair
of African lions are worth $1,000 or more Most
of the hippopotami come from Nubia and the
northwestern part of Africa. If all the hippopo-
tami in this country were to die we couldn't
get any more for a long time Moving
about isn't good for them Some animals seem
to thrive better when they are in menageries,
going from one part of the country to another,
but hippopotamus ought to stay in one place.
Last year there were thirteen of these animals
in the United States; now there are only eight
We have one here, and he is in capital health.
He wei CHS twice as much as he did when we got
him, something over year ago. Then there's
the prospective war in Asia. That will cut off
another wild animal producing country if John
Bull and the Car conclude to fight The mar
ket is dull enough now, without these wars to
set it back. Giraffes come from the Soudan,
and they are very scarce and very high priced. /
think there are four { les in this country
now. We have one, ana there is nothing the
matter with him except his hoofs. They are too
long. We tried to clip them, but he doesn't like
it, and is liable to kick man. Giraffes are
great buffers, too. They can strike blow with
their heads that would astonish Sullivan. Two
baby CRATES, only seven feet high, sold recently
for s., 900. It's almost impossible to put a price
on these animals now they are so scarce.
1--WE have just received curious bird, brush
turkey, from Australia. It's pathological name
is Megapodius taligallus lathami. 1t is one of
the rarest of the gallinacous or pheasant species
of birds in this country. The most curious
thing about it is the way it builds its nest and
lays its eggs. The hen first builds mound or
hill of earth and then digs hole in the middle
of it like volcano. Then she lays a number of
eggs in this hole and covers them with decayed
vegetable matter and manure. Then
comes another layer of eggs and then
some more rubbish, until the hole is
filled. The bird then goes about her business
instead of sitting on her eggs and losing three
weeks Of active life, as any American hen would
do. The heat generated by the decaying matter
around the eggs is sufficient to hatch out the
young and they make their way out of the nest
themselves AS the heat rises the top eggs
probably hatch out first, and so the lower young
sters haven't such hard time to make their way
up into the world as they otherwise would have.
We have only hen at present. but will get a
gobbler some time this summer"
A little camel was born at the Zoo the other
day. The chimpanzee is beginning to shed his
teeth, like human child. He first shed the
lower central incsors. Superintendent Brown
is watching this process with interest, and is
making careful notes.