Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-27

Hence the collection of animals that has
grown mp in this city behind the Smithsonian
building. known in standard English as the
800" is today one of the most interesting
spots to which all visitors to this city drawn
sooner OF later in their course among the
sights. When a STAR reporter vlsitesl the
Zoo the other day he found "a very m0deSs COP
lection. bat IL is the nucleus for what. it is
hoped. will be the finest collection Of animals
III this country. 1t has rather peculiar his
tory. beng the outgrowth not of n first definite
idea for the formation of such an attraction.
but of an entirely different motive. Up to
three OF four years ago all animals sent to
the institution to be utilized in the pursuit of
the scientific studies carried there were dis
sected, and thus made to furnish their quota
of information To the general fund. large
humber of live animals we're. from time to
time. contributed. and at last the specimens
became 70 be of u valuable nature. tha. one
day one o. them was kept. out of the kindness
of heart of the scientist into whose hands he fell,
and put III to n cage. This led to other animals
being spared from time To time. until there were
too many cages standing around in the National
Museum and the Smithsonian for comfort. and
plan devised 10 preserve the specimens
In a regular manner. and then the idea of the
present Zoo was generated
THE SMALL BEGINNING.
A small building was erected at the rear of
the old structure and determined systematic
efforts were made by Prof. HOrnaday the cura-
tor of live animals, 20 secure specimens of all
the living American animals tina; seemed likely
to disappear. through persistent hunting or
otherwise. so that collection could be formed
that would show the fauns Of this continent
such might be utterly impossible fifty a
hundred years from now. J me buffalo was the
animal which Air. Hornaday had particularly in
mind. for reports from The west indicated that
that magnificent indigenous creature was fast
disappearing from the plains. His efforts were
very successful. though In a small way at first.
and :o.ay there has been accumulated q cOilec-
ton OF specimens such as Will. IL few years,
be quite out ~ the question 10 duplicate.
A small herd II buffalo was secured from
wealthy gentleman in Detroit, and this made
the first important contribution Then ''Buf-
faIO BlI gave magnificent vapltI. or Elk.
which added considerably 20 the growing IN
portance OF the aggregation OF unnamed
natGre. The quarters for the animals We're en-
larged until they reached their present limit
about wear ago. Contributions are being re-
ceived every week or so from persons inter-
ested IN the work Of preserving the specimens.
AMI slowly the Zoo il growing into proportions
that entitle II 20 better quarters.
THE zoo PARK.
Those quarters have been provided, ard it is
now but matter of few months before Wash
ington can boast of a geological garden easily
rivaling that III Central Park il Ne y York, those
In the parks OF Chicago o. tina i'll Paramount
Park in Philadelphia. The project for n large
park on Rock creek adj lei ing tee great ma
tiOnal park has been successful and today the
work of preparing IL ground for the reception
of visitors and the erection Of buildings pro-
crossing at very satisfactory rate, which
promises completion in a comparatively short
time.
This Christmas snow is rather hard on the
animals tucked away behind the Smithsonian
building. confined az they in their small
pens. where they are unable to rOmp for
warmth The buffalo. with their great shaggy
fur. are better of than some Of the Others. and
they stand together huddled up as if on the
plains. making the best of a bad bit of weather.
Their number has recently been increased to
seven by the arrival of small infant bison
(that word Is considered incorrect by the
SCIENTISTS. now about six weeks old. which has
formed one of the popular sensations of the
town ever since her advent into the loo. The
contributor in this case Is a me buffalo
one of the original herd. which Is now the
proudest of them all The infant is thriving in
Its captivity. and seems likely TO grow up 20 be
~ big and ugly and hideous as its father or its
mother, unless something horrible and Unfore-
seen occurs to jar the family happiness of this
queer collection. The baby buffalo. as it is
tenderiy called by the populIce. has been
visited since it, birth by thousands of people,
who we're somewhat disappointed to ind that
it was nothing but little brown calf, just like