The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1889-09-14
TRAINING ANIMALS.
.,rTS ETCEEO UP AMONG VET
IRAN TRAINERS.
,.,,e,tv a Usual Means of Tuition
How Elephants Are Taught to
s.sud q Their Heads.

The I'LL "a ltiNl' w ubt SllAICCl lUlllNclV
,,bis keeper ont of the corners of his
TrkeI little eyes, and moved sulkily
.nTar,l the further end of his cage.
Tspper William Snyder, of the Central
Park manace:ie, was explaining to the
,sporter how elephants are trained, and
Tas Illustrating his lecture with the
! srae animals under his charge.
.Ground arms, Tip" Snyder lcaped
rrer the rail and Sid between the bars
gthe cage. and stood beside the ele.
nhant, pick in hand.
Tin" The animal felt the sharp
tsel prod his slide and gave q shrill
sream OF terror.
"Ground arms" Slowly and awk-
urdy the great hrrIle bent his legs and
snk down On his forcknees.
"Over." 4 lurch, such as n sinking
din gives. followed this command, and
Tip rolled over on his side, apparently
! dead.
"Gct IN. now" With almost incred-
/ 5le rapility Tip pulled himself together
end assumed his normal posture.
elephants are the hardest animals
/ !, the world to train," said the keeper
,ter his lecture was ended. at takes
hree wears to teach one all of the circus
KICKS. but the time is not thrown
,vav. A green elephant is worth 3, 900
While one that has acquired the ring
,comrl.shments often brings $4,000.
/ How d. We 90 about it It's Just like a
rurse in school. There are the rud-
inents. tie classics, and tie finishing
puches. The course of training is
sldom Varied. TO begin with, an ele-
phant IS taught to lie down at the com
mana ground arms This isn't an
sasY Job. We first shackle his fore feet
ngether. then his hind ieet. Then to
+ he forward sh1ckle We hitch q trained
/ ELEPHANT. and another to the hind
| hack'e. Both elephants are started in
opposite dire tions. and the pupils legs
re pu.ied APART, throwing him down.
his is re"eat. Il possibly fifty times in
,day, until lie will do the trick without
| lie use o: force.
"Next comes the salute, when he
arowS I'D his trunk and snortS; the roll
| all. when he leaves his fellows and
| akes his place in the other end of the
| ing rs his name is called, and the
srious manCuvres of the grand march.
The e are easily taught. All that is
needed is a patient trainer and an assis-
ant, aide by two sharp-pointed steel
picks. The real difficulty comes when
. YOU begin with the Tub and barrel tricks.
| IOmake an elephant stand on his hind
legs or on his head. or with his fore feet
On another elephants back, and to teach
| qu;res months OF Lard work. Mcchan-
cal app ian"cs are needed to teach
+ these tricks. You must have q block and
ncke SUSPENDED from q stoat beam in
he ceiling. Then the feet OF the pupil
must be slIacklcd as i'll the first trick.
To make him stand on his head hoist
his hind feet INTO the air. Reverse this
70 make Inn stand OH his hind feet.
With this block and tackle all OF these
rick can be taught varying the process
70 suit the case. This work is not only
lard, but dangerous. An elephant
keeper or trainer takes his lie in his
lands every time lie is in reach of q
nDk or task. No one can tell when an
sephant VII. strike Mt him. At certain
sasons ii the year the male elephants
ge Almost unmanaGeablc, and the train
ng schools stand mighty G Cd chance
tbelng turned into a hospital at any
minute"
"Thc eaSi st animal to train," said
Dr.. Conliiin, superintendent of the men-
gerie, sis the seal. Seals are very
doclle and Intelligent. In training them
little force or cruelty is needed. Kind
hess is the best plan. After doing each
ack they get a little morsel of fish, and
hey are so,Letimes petted in addition.
Atakes about three months to make
!oung seal an expert performer in the
rcus tank. The secret in training
aost animals is constant ASSOCIATION
Mn them. Take lions. tigers, panthers,
eOpards, and other members OF the cat
Noe, The only way they can be tanned
Nfhclently to allow their trainers t. go
INTO their cages is by his associating
nth them and feeding them daily for
'seeks and months. When they know
l9 well enough to let him pat them
"a careSs them through the cage bars,
emakes his first attempt inside. He
a'rles a whip in his hand, and speaks
othem continually, He has taken the
Eecaution 20 have two attendants
sound with sharp-pointei iron prongs
%'Slde the cage, i'll case his pupils
MOULD prove b!oodthirsty. Generally
We trainer IS not hurt. In three months,
saule, these cat animals can lie tamel
uat extent, bat Years Of work could
~ make thcn 10 any TRICKS. They will
snomis size 10 man, but they will not
,Ofk ior hin, as the bear and elephant
n Speaking of bears" continued the
SSOc'or, they are hard to train, and
-eI tuition IS and must be excessively
Huel Inn Itnlians nrn thn most nxnert