The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-17

In mountainous places, and are therefore
required by nature 10 be expert climbers
They hang from limbs OF trees not only
by their hands and feet. but equally wei
by their long tails. which have grea
| prehensfle development. Travellers IN
Africa tell wonderful stories OF theii
agility In swinging themselves from this
boughs Of trees and from crag TO crag
No one ever heard of a ring-tsiled mon
key falling.
Their nimbleness Is not necessarily a
temptation 10 thieving. but IL stands
them in good stead in making forays on
kitchens or vegetable gardens and or
chards. They rob birds nests for eggs
| OF which they are extremely fond, and
| Il IS a remarkable fact that birds do not
| thrive where ring-taiIs abound. They live
| mostly on vegetable food. but may be
| trained TO partake OF the food and drink
| of man. including alcoholic liquors. for
| which they evince a strong liking. Their
intelligence. especially in matters OF MINI
/ icry, IL unusual. the only animals super
! Tor 60 them in this respect being the
! dog and elephant.
Chiko continues 10 be the centre Of
interest 10 visitors at the menagerie.
He has been unusually solemn during the
past few weeks. and this sudden change
in his demeanor is supposed 10 be due to
the absence Of his Portuguese trainer.
who left short time since for Portugal.
from whence he will return I'm about a
month with Chiko's sister Several thou
sand persons visit Chikos cage each day.
The menagerie has one Of the most
complete collections OF water fowl in
this country. IL is not numerous, but is
extremely varied. and is especially In-
teresting from the fact that all the birds
are I'm one enclosure. This has caused
some exciting encounters. The tallest
bird Is crane but strange to say, the
most autocratic; the cock OF the walk.
so to speak is a small Egyptian goose.
This goose is not knee-high to the crane
but the crane whose ordinary gait re-
sembles that of n transforming TRACE
dian, never knowingly approaches within
pecking distance Of the goose. The black
swans also give the little goose a wide
berth, though there is no ar parent reason
why they should be afraid Of him. The
pugnacious temperament Of the goose has
ostracized him from the society Of his
fellows. and he sits most Of the time in
solitary glory on the edge Of the tank
ore Of the latest acquisitions 10 the ev-
hlbit OF animals IS an unusually fine polar
bear, which has been loaned for the sea-
son by Messrs. Bailey & Co., Of circus
fame who are also the owners of Chiko.
Bruin enjoys the cold weather exceed
ingly. and il gives one the shivers TO see
him when the mercury is near the freez-
ing point sitting calmly on the edge Of a
stone basin full of ice-water, waiting to
recover from perspiration before tax
ing another plunge.
His diet when i'm captivity is chiefly
bread and vegetables. His favorite
article Of food in his native haunts is
the seal. Director Smith feels that seals
are too high-priced in New York to give
to polar bears for food.
There have also been presented a griz-
zlv bear and a number of alligators and
rabbits. The grizzly is a fine specimen.
but fierce. The grizzly is the most for
midable Of all the animals of the New
World, being capable Of overpowering
the huge bison and carrying him away
In his arms.