The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-04-08
KNOWING ANIMALS
Beasts and Birds That Perform Won
derfuI Tricks.
THE PIGEON AS POSTMASTER.
Trainer - Dancing storks- Acrobatic
Loons-Gsese as soldiers--Rops walk
ing O~wls-Pigs as Clowns.

AOOue-ooCso ~ 49,
ing Owls-Pigs as Clowns.
George Arstingstall, unrivalled ~ .
banner Of wild beasts, recently returned to
New York with a collection of bipeds and
quadrupeds that are amazing wise. He
was away Ave years and, as he put 1t upon
his arrival. at I'm glad to be once more
in Gods country"
This great trainer has brought home
enough trained animals to stock q co.
logical garden. The collection embraces
over 200 beasts and birds, made up OF
twenty-six varieties.
Mr.. Arstingstall has, by patient kind
ness, developed an intelligence in furred
and feathered creatures that were hereto
fore believed to be incapable OF training.
Four stately storks are among the
queerest and wisest of Mr.. Arstingstall's
interesting geological family. They will,
at word Of command, dance q quadrille
and run a race. The racing Is very excit-
ing, because each stork does his or her
best to reach the goal first and be re-
warded by q tid-bit. Two Of them ride
bicycles.
A pair Of looms, Bob and Bobby, show
nov much IL in their narrow little heads
when they turn somersaults, fire OF can
mons, feign death and engage In o rough
and-tumble fight, which ends with Bob
fastening his beak In Bobby's neck n
dragging the defeated one about in Q way
that must be humiliating even to q loon.
Twelve Bremen geese, c~aptained by q
aamingo of military aspect, go through a
series of intricate evolutions. The geese
march in single and double columns n
then four, six and twelve abreast. They
and Capt. Flamingo go through their
performance without any assistance from
human attendants.
A pair of great white owls, with blink
ing yellow eyes as big as half-dollars, are
broken to do q rope walking act. Their
wings are clipped 50 that they may not
fly. When they meet on the middle of the
rope one fellow carefully lies breast down
upon the strand and the other mounts
upon his back. Then the under one car
rios his mate back to the end of the
journey.
The pigeons run q post ofice. A cote,
holding ten birds, is fixed a hundred or SC
feet from and facing the Office. Cote and
post Office are on posts fifteen feet abovt
the ground. The pigeon postmaster ha,
two helpers. On the ground to the right
Of the post Office and thirty yards distant
il . cote holding ten letter carriers.
Around each g~ray-coated carriers neck is
a tiny loop Of silk ribbon, the-lower side
of which is fastened to q mite of q letter.
Every time the door Of the cote il
opened a carrier hops out and flies direct
to the post official pigeons, with their
bills, lift loop and letter over his head
and he flies back to whence be came.
A trio of %gymnastic toucans will pleas.
many with the oddly of their work
Two of them do q perfect trapeze act.
They balance on the bars, which turn in
sockets at their ends. They fly from baI
to bar and, holding by their great beak
to rings, 60 end over end in the giani
swing. The third of the lot slides down
an inclined wire 20 feet long, holding
with his beak to an iron ring that encir-
cles the metal line. He is caught in . net
at the bottom and enjoys his rapid dos
cent.
Accomplished sheep run hurdle races,
turn fip-faps and, without any help from
their instructor, form q pyramid three
muttons high. Three sheep stand sid,
by side and two then jump upon theii
backs. When they are In place the sixth
iheep comes with q rush and q flying lear
hat lands him on top.
Plump black Berkshire pigs do a clever
"turn," in which they are ably assisted
by an Irish porker, who plays clown.
The learned swine, when performing,
wear trousers, jackets and hanging caps
of gorgeous colors. They walk about on
their hind feet, waltz, march, jump
paper balloons, and end all by
racing through . canvas bag hfty feet
long.
Among the four-footed entertainers are
four beautiful Angora cats and a dwarf
Tabby Of no particular breeding. After
The Angoras have fred on toy cannons,
climbed swinging lines, and leaped from
, spring board over the backs of six
they walk q tight-rope, balancing
with poles with the dainty
dexterity Of q human performing o like
feat.
That being ended they are attired in
masculine and feHaiHiHe-gafb, while the
liliputian mouser Ia made up as q baby in
Iong clothes. The infant Is CAREFUL,
placed In q baby carriage by its mo ke-be-
ieve papa and mamma, who trundle /
,bout to stop its cries, while the tw,
,ther Angora Tables, made up to look
ike servants, follow at the tail of tn,
amily procession.
Six African lions nave been broken to
pull a triumphal car loaded with learned
,alves, and four gray wolves, harnessec
tide by side with as many sheep, ar
iriven by q coolie in q c~hariot.-N. Y
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