The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-09-29
4 AFEATHERED SAMSON.

A AFEATHERED SAMSON.
Marvellous Feats Of Strength Per-
formed by . Captive Macaw.
rhe Athlete Bira TWISTS Iroa Baxs With
ais Bsu aad In Various Other
ways Displays HI Won
derfal Powers.
They have q lot Of wonderful animals
at the Zoo, but the most wonderful
Of all jnst now is bird. BE Is
barred up behind three layers Of
heavy wire mesh, such as is used
for coal sieves, and even this is hardly
enough to relieve constant feeling OF
suspicion concerning him. The bird is
q species Of the parrot known as the
macaw, and his native country is Bra
zil. The warm breath Of summer which
we have had several recent touches of
seems to have inspired him with con-
fidence peculiar to any feature that
itself erects home, and the activity
Of some of his exploits has surprised
the keeper Of the aviary as wel as the
officials of the gardens who have never
had the opportunity of seeing the ma
cav on his native heath.
He has only been in this country .
short time, says the Philadelphia Tele-
graph, and until few days ago had
sole possession of one of the row of
cages along the eastern wall OF the
aviary. In an adjoining cage were q
fock Of talkative but peaceful cocka-
toos, with feathers as white rs snow.
He observed them with comparative
Indifference for time, but few nights
ago he decided to make them a ncigh-
borly call, and now the garden is one
cockatoo less in its group OF specimens
of winged creation. How it happened no
one knew until the next morning, when
when the macaw was found in the cock
atoo cage, sitting comfortably on
perch, while beneath him lay dead
cock in the pit. The other cockatoos
kept themselves as far as possible out
Of sight in corner. Three bars OF
thick wire partition between the cages
had been pulled out to make way for
the macaw's exit. Apparently this
might have been an easy thing for 9
man to do, but it is doubtful if man
oouad have done it more neatly or COM
paetely.s SO IS sssox
Thenaeaw wss-not put back in his
Gags ssHe was given quarters In
private cdges;n = stout portable inclosure
about three net 'sqfarc, with q floor Of
ralvanized sheet iron, and iron bars as
thick as an ordinary lead pencil. The
bars were supported around the sides
with cross pieces, or stringers OF thick
iron, so that their length was not over
six inches in any part of the cage. It
was thought that the macaw was
pretty safe in that kind OF cage, but
to make assurance doubly sure he was
placed in a small room in the corner OF
the aviary and the door closed, which
proved q wise precaution. The next
morning the keeper of the aviary near
" fell dead with paralysis to find the
macaw at large, perched quietly on the
top of q feed box The box was empty.
With his jaw dropped with conster-
nation the keeper, who had charge OF
all the birds that ever came there in
the twenty years of the gardens exist
ence. stood and surveyed the scene.
The bars on the heavy iron cage had
not been pulled out as in the larger
cage, but they had been bent and al
most broken, leaving . space large
enough for the macaw to make hisexit.
How he did it is still puzzle for the
Geological society to solve, it not
puzzle for a good mechanical engineer
familiar with the tensile and other
properties of iron.
The keeper who found the bird first
felt the bars with his fingers to see ii
thev had been made out of soft metal
by mistake, but they were not. Then
he got pair of plumbers plyers and
tried to bend them straight again, but
he had not force enough in his wrist to
do it. Then he sat down and wiped
the cold perspiration from his face and
looked at the macaw with suspicion
that the bird must be supernatural,
while the bird sat as serenely as possi-
BILE, calmly returning his gaze. The
macaw is a silent bird. He does not
talk like other parrots.
The keeper secured the window and
doors and went for advice and assist
ance. The macaw is back in its cage
now, but the bars are still bent just as
he left them, because there is not .
pair Of plyers in the garden strong
enough to straighten them. Around
the outside Of the cage are the layers
of the thick wire mesh OF the kind
used to sieve coal, hiding the bird al
most completely from view, except at
one corner left open to feed him.
The macaw's feat is the most aston
ishing thing that has been seen in the
garden since it was founded. The bird
is nothing but parrot of somewhat
extraordinary size, being over two feet
in length, and having head on him
probably larger than big Florida
orange and nm enormous bill for . bird.
His plumage is dark and rather sub
dued in comparison with the smaller
but it Is very handsome. Since
he twisted the bars OF his cage the
keepers are wary in handling him for
fear he will get his fighting blood up
and take . mans finger Oh, which he II
capable Of doing.
What viii be done with him has not
been determined get. There was =
to confne him In the new
bear pit, but it is probable that he will
be put in an outdoor cage for the SUM
mer, where the bars are as thick -
those used TO confne the eagles and
vultures. he strength Of his bin i
nlloA Boyp a4 Foot-Ball.
Football playing BY the blind sounds
like novelty, but writer who visit
ed the Royal Victoria Blind asylum at