Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1886-10-21
M TURAL HISTORY NOTEE

Two large .dog-faced baboon'
(Cynocephalus anubis, F. Cuv.) ar.
rived at Central Park recently, anG
are now on public exhibition ia the
monkey house. They come from
Nubia, Abyssinia, and are very rare,
The Egyptian deities, representing
a man with dogs head, is taken in
part from this species of babOon.
They are even larger than Remus
Crowley, the chimpanzee and with a
view of making a pleasant break in
his life of solitude by the introduc-
tion Of agreeable companions, the
dog-faced balloons were brought up
to the door Of his cage. Mr.. Crow
ley was seated at his table eating his
porridge. with a napkin neatly tied
around his neck, as is his custom
when at meals, and was in the act of
conveying a tablespoonful of the
porridge to his mouth when he
caught sight of the visitors from
Africa; who seated In movable
cage, were regarding him with looks
of polite surprise. In an instant, he
wrapped his arme around the bowl of
porridge, leaped from his arm chair,
and fed to the further corner of his
cage, where, with the big wooden
spoon held aloft, he assumed
threatening attitude. This inhospi-
table conduct on the part of Mr..
Crowley was responded to with fierce
barks by the baboons without, who
showed their teeth savageIy and gave
other evidence of desire to make
Mr.. Crowley's nearer acquaintance.
Under the circumstances it was
thought best to put the balloons in
separate cage.
Two very large cranes (Grus
American }, not before seen here,
have been placed in the sea lion pen.
They are about 4! feet in height,
and hence larger even than the sand
hilLcrane. One is in full plumage
and white, while the other is of a
beautiful light brown.
A pair of mule deer (Cervus
maerotis) are the most recent arriy-
ais in the deer park. Their great
ears, coarse hair, and big-jointed
limbs give them striking appear
anee. They are dark gray in color
and the tips of their tails are black,
while that of the Vlrginian deer is
white. When full grown, these deer
will stand nearly five feet high at the
wIthers. The first deer of this vari-
ETY. ever in Europe reached the Lon
don Geological Gardens in 1879,
being sent thither through Mrs Cunk-
lin, the superintendent of the Cen
trail Park menagerle.
The copperhead snake (Ancistro-
den contortrix) has now with her a
litter of young copperheads curious
Iy spotted and striped.
A pair of caique (Caica melanoce-
phala), species of "parrakeet," as
The paroquet is now called by natur-
alists, was recently presented to the
city, and are now to be seen in the
parrot house. This Is the first time
hey have been on public exhibition
here. Their coloring is very strik-
ng head black, throat lemon color
ed, back of neck, orange, breast
white, back and tail green. Their
habitat is Demerara; and sitting, as
hey constantly do, close together on
;he perch, they keep up constant
chatter.
A pair of Upland geese (Bernlcla
nagellanicus) have also arrived.
These geese are found only near the
Straits of Magellan and the Fawk-
and Islands, which regions being
colder than this, no trouble IS antici-
oated il acclimating them. The
male is white, with breast aud under
parts barred with black. while the
female is brown with black bars.
They breed freely while Gagged, dif-
'ering in this respect from the most
Wild birds.
Six pythons, each ten feet long,
came here from India, and,
hough intended for the Central Park
could not be accepted
through. lack of funds, and four of
hem. were lately sent to the Phila-
ielphia Geological Garden. They
ire of the class Pythonide molurus,
he same as that supposed to have
,een slain by Appollo. 1t is the
'ame description, too, which Virgil
describes as attacking Loacoon, the
Trojan priest of Apollo, who urged
lis comrades not to admit the wooden
lorse of the Greeks through the
walls of Troy, which in reality con-
aimed band of armed men, and led
o the discontinue of the Trojans.
Professor Torrey, in his Theory
of the Fine Arts" complains that
he famous statue Of s'Loacoon,
representing Loacoon and his two
IONS within the folds of two pythons,
Is pictured by Virgil, is defective
because of the mIsconception by the
artist Of the instincts of the python
n biting. Mr.. Frank Thompson, on