Los Angeles herald., 1892-02-25
AT THE LONDON zoo.
HOW THE CHILDREN ENJOY Them
SELVES ON A SATURDAY.

Watching the Creatures Eat.
No day is more animated at the Lon.
don Geological gardens than Saturday,
when the children appear in full force,
marshaled by papas and mammas, who
are doubtless glad enough to visit the
scene of their own early '1arks," but
who try to look as if they came only as
guides and guardians. The little peo-
pie begin to appear early in the forenoon,
some of them bringing lunch basket,
wherein may be found not only their
own bread and butter but biscuit and
buns for feeding the animals
Those who are to take their MONDAY
meal in the refreshment room. how
ever, need not be destitute of provender
for their four footed acquaintances; a
bun may always be bought for penny.
and biscuit are abundant on many a
convenient counter.
First comes the preliminary ramble,
and then skurry back to the fish house,
where at 10 o'clock the diving birds are
fed. A large glass tank of clear water
occupies one end Of the room, and into
this precisely at noon an attendant
throws handful of tiny fish, few of
them still living. Then the side of an
adjoining cage is removed, and down
plunge the penguins to seize their prey.
1t must be confessed that their table
manners are not fine. They literally
gobble fish after fish, and then hurl
themselves about in the water, evidently
delighted with their bath,
Another bird-a slender, graceful
creature, familiarly called ''darter"-
is admitted alone to the tank, and his
motions in eating his fish dinner are
wonderful to see. He sweeps through
the water like an arrow, and impaling
each fish upon his bill lifts his head,
and in some mysterious and lightning
like manner catches the victim and
swallows it.
THE RIDE ON THE ELEPHANTS.
Later in the afternoon the pelicans are
fed in the little yard where they strut
solemnly all day long. A small pond
occupies its center, and into this bits of
fish are thrown, in search of which the
birds rush pell nell, covering the water
with q confusion Of gigantic waving
wings. AS the attendant approaches to
carry out this pleasing ceremony, the
birds awaken from their drowsy calm,
and it is a sight not soon to be forgotten
if one can watch a stately old pelican
lift his wings and begin an awkward
curveting in token Of his joy.
In the bear pit, a deep and well lighted
inclosure, dwell two bears, who are un-
wjeldy with the fatness produced by
many buns. They have been SO per-
sistently fed by visitors that when one
looks over the railing his bearship calm
ly rises, holds out two entreating fore
paws and sits in pleased anticipation of
feast.
He catches bits of bun in his mouth
with the unerring skill given by long
practice, and will even climb the pole in
the center Of the pit, if one will but bold
bun over it suspended from stick.
"But how will he know want him to
climb?" said little girl, who had just
been provided with this plummy bribe.
"Just hold it near the pole where he
can get it," said an attendant, land he'll
do the rest. He knows as much as we
do"
So, heavily and with much painting,
the awkward creature mounts his pole,
seizes the bun, and descends to MUNICH ii
in content.
The crowning joy of all perhaps for
little visitors is that of riding the ele-
plants, which, provided with great sad
dies, large enough for dozen people,
take their load of shrieking, laughing
children and go numbering off down the
walks, waving their trunks this side and
that in the hope of receiving stray tit
bit from the neighboring crowd.
FEEDING THE LIONS.
Later in the day comes one great
event, to which even the most serious
grown person must be interested. At
half past A the lions are fed! Long
before the time visitors begin to pour
into the building where, in large cages
against the wall, lions, tigers and leop-
ards are pacing restlessly up and down.
The creatures themselves need no
watches to tell them dinner time is near.
At the appointed moment man en-
ters, pushing a barrow of bleeding meat,
!, nd wheels it past the cages to the very
an.s of the room. At the smell and
s;gbt Nandemonium breaks loose. One
terrihle roar, made by many voices IN
awful con, ord, fills the place. At the
last cage th,s barrow stops, a bar is
thrown back. a nd two large pieces of
meat are thrown i. The lion seizes them
in his navs and lies cofrtentedly down,
to gnaw and lick the with the delib-
Grafton of well fed ami, sai.
So the programme goes On ultii QUE
voice after another is silenced ana Inc
barrow is empty. One very in nterestlnS
fact is always to be observed. Inc
animals do not, on receiving their HrsS
piece of meat, retire to devour it; they
wait for tho second and then turn away
with both held securely in their paws
They have evidently learned how much
to expect and can count up to that
number
Indeed the delights of the Zoo are
almost inexaustible to animal loving
children. There is the monkey house,
where those grave, wrinkled, half hu-
man creatures sit picking feas from
each other with an air of funny absorp-
ton. There is the chimpanzee 'Sally,"
who will count five for her keeper by
passing him the requisite number OF
straws, and who, at request, will eat
with her fingers. as she fused to do