Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-05-21
CIRCUS MENAGERIES.
A SHOW WITHOUT ANIMALS HAS NO
CHANCE IN THE COUNTRY.
Lions, Tigers, and AntsIopes Easy to
Keep. Bot II II Hard TO Manage the
Agile Monkey and the Ostrich.

Agile Monkey snd the ossriop'
II would seem as IL wild beast that vas
90 unfortunate as TO have its lot cast with
q travelling menagerie must DO doomed 70
q short life. Many must be OF necessity
confined in small cages, and this from
ones years. end to the other. without re-
lief.
They must DO badly shaken up IN con-
startly travelling around from one place
70 another. tho cages being almost daily
loaded and unloaded upon the circus
trains. In addition to this thew must sur
fer the worry and Fostering dsllv OF having
a crowd of curious sightseers around the
cages.
Yet there arc animals in any big me
nsgerie now-and Gagged animals, too
which have been going around the coun-
try for many yesrs. and probably Will con-
tlnue to do so until they die from old age.
or are shot because Of their feebleness.
IL must not be believed. however. that
all wild animals will stand the strain OF
show life. Men who supply circuses WITH
menagerIes know those beasts which VII!
accustom themselves TO II and Withstand
its hardsbips, aud showmcn will only BUY
such as these, as others are poor invest
ments.
This is why nearly all circus menageries
are much alike. their chief difference be-
ing IN tho number OF specimens common
to all that are exhibited.
I'VE could not get along, though, With
out O menagerie." remarked a Snowman
discussing this subject with New ork
Tribune writer. Il know that here IN
New York our menagerie does not attract
the same amount Of attention from the
public that the rest of the circus does.
but this IL because you have your own
public menagerie in Central Park. The
same is true IN other cities that have their
zoos. In the smaller cities aud towns,
though, circus without menagerie
would stand about as much show as q
comic opera without al orchestra.
WHAT THE CHILDREN WANT.
ut is the menagerie that the grown folk
bring the children TO see. Why, ! remem-
Der IN the days when clrcuses were not
all that they should have been from a
moral point of view. principally because
of the gangs of swindlers and pickpockets
which followed them around. that 1t was
q very common thing for people, especially
IN tho country. to como and see the me
nagerie, who would have thought them
selves under ban of SIN II they had seen
the rest of the show.
cus-and it was hardly a prejudice,
either has about disappeared, owing 10
the improvement in the circus itself, but
the menagerle il must have Just the same.
IL wish II We're not SO. for 1t costs about
S15,O 900 u wear 10 purchase animals 10 keep
our menagerle up 10 the mark, besides the
great cost OF keeping the animals ana
transporting them. II We go out without
specimen one year, however. that we
IoI . k.., QrA All a
that the public will miss IL aud ask for 1t.
From the deaths OF animals We lose
about $1,000 year, and tho annual de-
probation through age and sickness 10
about IS, 900. Animals that become spirit
less and poOr-looking We generally sell TO
small shows.
The lions and tho animals OF the cat
species, such as tigers. leopards. ana pam
theirs. are the best stock 70 handle. Con-
sldering that most Of them come from the
tropics they stand tina changes OF our eli
mate remarkably well. As q rule they VIII
live a dozen years in captivity. and often
much longer.
LIONS OR TTGrRs IN PAIRS
II have known Of lions TO live in the
cages for twenty-five or thirty wears. IL
gers. leopards, and painters are not FAR
behind the lions, either. Wells grown lions
and tigers In o sound condition are worth
from $500 20 $1,000 each. IL you can buy
lions or tigers in pairs they are q good IN
yestment. "a they reproduced so frequently.
I" A good tigress will produce two litters
Of four in year. and generally ono half Of
them can be successfully raised and sold
at good prices. Leopards and panthers
are gwen 10 eating their young. or at least
TO killing them.
You have 70 be mighty careful with
your lions. tigers. panthors, and leopards.
though, for while thew are hardy. disease
makes short work with them II II once gets
hold of them. Pneumonia Is their greatest
enemy. Colds. developing into lung trou-
bcs. kill By far the most Of them.
during cur London engagement We lost
five leOpards IN three weeks. Post-mortem
examinations showed that they all died OF
colds which settled on the lungs.
II Is necessary 10 keep close watch on
the appetites of these animals. too. for If
thoy get of on their feed you are likely 10
lose them. Zoos generally feed their anl-
mails on horse meat. but both at the winter
quarters and on the road We give them
good beef. 1t pays TO do 1t.
IF they begin to show distaste for
their food we give them little hot, fresh
blood to drink. Ii that does not stimulate
them we drop few live chickens, turkeys.
or rabbits into their cages and let them
slaughter them. That generally brings
them around all right.
80 far as hardness and longevity 90,
elephants are even better stock than the
lions and eat animals. They are not much
good ss an investment, though. for they
seldom reproduce In captivity.
They are an exceedingly useful animal
and are not much trouble. They wall
stand almost anything and seldom get
sick. Up IN our winter quarters and on
the road they are very useful tor US IN
pushing cars around and hauling heavy
loads.
By THE NUMBER or ELEPHANrS.
1T was not MANY years ago when the
elephant was considered the chief attrac-
ton of the show. and the worth of a show
was reckoned by the number of elephants
1t had IN its herd. Now they are drug on
the market. | have lent them TO zoos and
have been clad 10 get r.d Of them. | sold
ten aud sent them 10 Europe few years
ago.
1909 10 $4,000, according 10 his age. size,
temper. and intelligence. In Europe
prices run q little higher at present. \
finely.trained elephant will bring a much
higher price, but those who own such gen
orally DO not want TO part WITH them.
There IS no telling how long an elephant
will llY5 IA q circus attraction. never
knew one 10 die n natural death. 1t they
do not get killed IN an accident or in .
FIRE they eventually become savage and
dangerous and have 10 be Killed.
MONKEYS are mighty poor stock to
handle, but they are so cheap that we
hardly keep any account OF them. A dozen
OF them are likely 70 drop over from pneu-
monia any day If a draught happens TO
blow through their cage.
They DO we'll enough in winter quar-
tors. where the temperature IS even, but
we seldom bring back half as many as we
start out on tie road with. They are sub
ject TO all sorts OF digestive disorders. too
and people feed them with all sort OF stuff
calculated 10 produce these disorders Ia
spite of the vigilance of keepers.
often We have TO replenlsh our stock