The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-06
HOW THE ANNALS SLEEP.
Interesting visis to the Central Parl
Monagerie.

interesting V1oit Co the Central Rork
Monsgerie.
New York Tribune.
An interesting study to any one fond of
natural history is to note the different
positions in which animals and birds rest.
A visit to Central Park menagerie late at
night, allowed by the kind courtesy of
Superintendent Conkling, revealed some
curious sights. q
The elephants were iao longer looking
for peanuts. but lay stretched out on the
door of their cages, their huge legs lying
out at full length and the trunk curved
under the body. They were all resting on
their right side.
Near by, in the deer house, the different
deer had all crouched down for their rest,
with their forelegs bent under them and
the hind ones drawn up, while the head
was turned to the right and rested on the
side of the body. The oryx, with its long
horns, was resting with its head away
from the body and the horns making an
arch over the shoulders.
The alpaca simply looked like large
ball Of black wool. Jack, the donkey that
draws the cart with the commissariat of
the menagerie, was lying down, and only
deigned to blink at the lamp that revealed
him resting on well-littered bed, with
his forelegs slightly turned inward from
the knee and the hind ones also turned in
ward.
The female camel, who has temporary
home in the deer house, lay on her stomach
with her fore and hind legs bent under
her, while her head and neck were
stretched straight out. The little axis deer
was cuddling up close to its mother, the
two looking like some piece of mahogany
picked out with white.
Fanny. the Skye terrier, who gives her
chief attention to the rats that swarm in
the house. looked out inQuisitiyeiy at the
visitors, while her pup lay curled up on an
empty sack.
In the lion house the lioness was living
on her left side at full length, while the
lion, couchant, rested with his head on his
fore paws, that were crossed. his hind legs
half drawn under him, and the tail curled
in toward the body. The pumas, tigers
sides, in nearly every case lying on the
right side.
The hyenas, pariahs and scavengers Of
the forest rested with their hind legs
drawn under them, the forelegs stretched
out, with the head slightly bent to the
right. Opposite them the two-horned
rhinoceros was lying at full length ON his
left side gently snoring.
The hippopotami showed only their
heads and backs above the water, and
Fatima, the baby hippo, rested its ponder
Gus nose on tho right shoulder Of its
mother.
In the smaller mammal house, given up
almost entirely to civet cats, possums and
such like, every animal had curled itself
up into the smallest possible space, bury
ing the nose under the stomach, with all
their paws drawn up close to the body.
The monkeys were sQuatting about their
cages, their heads bowed down over their
oh 10 fha thn s~A~ -
the hind legs.
A baby monkey was sleeping cuddled up
In the arms of its mother, its little eyes
peering out inquisitively and fearlessly at
the midnight visitors. The bears were
resting. in various positions, some lying
out at full length, others curled up.
The two polar bears were all huddied mp
in heap, with their noses buried deep in
their white fur and forepaws crossed over
the ewes. Most of the birds were resting
on their perches. their legs bent under
them and their heads tucked under wing,
in every case the right one.
The parrots had only drawn their necks
In. while the toucan had turned its head
and rested its large beak on its pack. The
pelicans slept squatting on the ground,
their heads drawn well back and resting
their ponderous bills on their breasts.
In the same Enclosure the sea lion had
left the pond, and was lying on the coping
STONE. ~ lay Uu IT'S Iikus Siocs tue lett IN
resting on the body. The head was turned
upward. showing the lower jaw. which is
without fur.
The emu was resting with the first Joints
OF its legs on the ground, the body a short
distance above, and its head buried in the
plumes. The porcupine was lying on its
stomach. its head bent TO the left, with the
quilts standing out in every direction.
The ilamas, xebus and African buffalo
were resting as cows rest, With the foreegs
drawn under them. and their hind ones
drawn in, and this was also true of the
American bison. Under the caves of the
houses sparrows were roosting, and for
time, At least, were not chattering and
fighting.