Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-08-05
JUST LIKE MOST WOMEN.
LIONS AND ELEPHANTS ARE
AFRAID OF MICE,
Experiments with the Animals of Cir
Gus Which Prove That the Kings
of Beasts Have Horror
OF Rodents.

port, Conn, by "Tobeyn Hamilton
and a number of newspaper men.
The party under the leadership OF
Mr.. Hamilton entered the winter lair
of the great beasts and found them
looking very we'll after their holiday.
We were accompanied by an attache
who carried a cage containing a
number of rats and mice, writes a
correspondent of the Baltimore Her
aid, and one of the mice was thrown
into the elephants Enclosure, 1t
produced an immediate sensation,
The immense creatures, twelve in
number, perceived it at once, and at
first stood transfxed with motionless
trunks and frightened eyes
Then they crowded and pushed to-
gether III nervous, iostling fashion,
finally elevating their lengthy pro-
bosch into the air, trumpeting loudly
and retreating from the object OF
terror-the little mouse i'm one
furious stampede, each seeking
the furthest possible corner and
violently striving to reach there
first. Nothing was now visible OF
them save ponderOus pOsteriors and
nervously twitching tails, though
occasionally, as an old elephant
furtively glanced with an apprehen-
sive side glance to the rear. an
agonized eyeball, rolling in finest
frenzy, conveyed to the astonished
spectators some idea OF the state OF
fright from which the animals were
suffering.
The notable exception. however. to
this Ignomiuious defeat was the in
trepid demeanor Of one solitary
elephant. who stood his ground with
a majestic and immovable front. In
fact it was easy to fancy that the
heroic beasts trunk was curling at
the tip with suppressed scorn at
the pusilanimity Of his inglorious
brethren. One moment he stood
thus, and the next, with unmistake-
able decision, set his big foot down
upon the foe.
Our next move was 10 the tigers
cage, where several gorgeous ANIMALS
reposed blissfully ignorant Of the
advent Of their tormeGtors Now,
although his usual aspect Is calm,
Groyer-the tiger. not the president
lis possessed of an extraordinarily
wicked disposition, and is unlikely To
permit any liberties to be taken with
his royal personality. 1t is hard TO
imagine his being frightened at any
thing, however much he may be
calculated to raise the hair OF the
onlooker.
A mouse was introduced into his
cage and the effect was as immediate
as unsupported. He was lying with
his forepaws extended, and when the
intruder appeared gradually drew
them back, finally edging into a sit
ting position upon his launches. He
inclined his head forward fixing his
eyes earnestly on the mouse; then he
began TO tremble at first slightly,
but ending with a violent tremor
which shook his huge body like an
aspen leaf A series OF most melan.
choly howl5 soon began to leave his
capacious mouth when suddenly and
with evident effort he pulled himself
together and ran away to the remot-
est possible point where he crOuched
and covered blinking uneasily at the
mouse and continuing to utter cries.
Hitherto the mice, which had been
exclusively used for our purpose.
were fully as much frightened as the
beasts themselves. but as we drew on
to visit the lions IL was resolved TO
experiment with some small rats and
discover whether there was any APP
preciable difference in the result
To attain our purpose two or three OF
these were put into the lions cage
and affairs assumed an entirely new
complexion. Queenly Jennie, the
star lioness, was suddenly astounded
by the receipt of sharp bite upon
the nose, whereupon the royal lady
shrieked with veksmcnco and shrill-
ness thoroughly characteristic OF her
sex, and reminded the spectators ir-
resistably of what they might have
expected from a woman under similar
distressful conditions. The aggres-
siNe initiative Of the little rats was
by no means responded TO by the
lions, for they quickly followed the
example OF the other animals.
The fierce rodents, however, moth
ing daunted, continued TO jump
around the lions, endeavoring TO get
in an odd bic here and there with
occasional success. The big beasts.
a slight tap from one Of whose paws
would have effectually ended the
strife forever, seemed TO think only
OF their personal safety, and with
growls and howls trotted round and
round in very eccentric circles until
they must certainly have grown dizzy
from their efforts to escape their
pursaers. At length the rats were
placed hors do combat by being acct.
dentally trodden on by the cavorting
lions, whom we now permitted to en-.
joy well-earncd repose.
Instinct IN Birds
Mo- 1.