The morning news., 1894-08-11

ago had sole possession OF one of the row Of
cages along the eastern wall of the aviary.
In an ad dining cage were a flock Of talka-
tive, but peaceful cockatoos, with feath-
ers as white as snow. He observed them
with comparative Indifference for time,
but few nights ago he decided TO make
them neighoorly call and now the gar
den is one cOckatOO less in its group of
specimens of winged creation.
How it happened no one knew until the
next morning, when the macaw was found
in the cOckatoo cage, sitting comfortably
on perch, while beneath him lay a dead
cock in the pit The other cockatoos
kept themselves as far as possible out of
sight in a corner. Three bars of thick
wire partition between the cages had been
pulled out 10 make way for the maCaw's
exit. Apparently this might have been
an easy thing for a man TO do, but it is
doubtful il a man could have done it
more neatly or completely.
The macaw was not put back in his
cage. He was given quarters in private
cage, a stout, portable inclosure about
three feet square, with a floor of galvan-
lied sheet iron, and iron bars as thick as
an ordinary lead pencil. The bars were
supported around the sides with cross
pieces. or striugerS of thick iron, so that
their length was not over six inches in
any part of the cage 1t was thought that
tAAN lAtANsl W WAS tItbbN Sd1C Ill tildJ hlnu
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 u wise precaution. The
next morning the keeper of the aviary
nearly fell dead with paralysis TO find
the macaw at large, perched quietly on
top of feed box. The box was empty
With his Jaw dropped in CONSERVATION
the keeper, who had charge of all the
DFlC thar fpapa in tho nv
years of the gardens existence, 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 almost broken, leaving a space
large enough for the macaw to make his
exit. How he did il is still a puzzle for
the geological society to solve, if not a
puzzle for a good mechanical engineer
familiar with the tensile and other prop
critics of iron.
The keeper who found the bird first felt
the bars with his fingers to see if they
had been made out Of soft metal by mis-
take, but they were not. Then he got a
pair of plumbers plyers and tried to bend
them straight again. but he had not force
enough in his wrist to do IL. 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 Sc
renely as possible, calmly returning his
gaze. Ihe maCaw is silent bird. He
does not talk like other parrots.
The keeper secured the windows and
doors and went for advice and assistance.
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
Jhe 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 almost completely from view, except
az one corner left open TO feed him
The macaW' s feat Is the most astonsh-
ing thing that has been seen in the gar
den since II was founded The bird is
nothing but parrot of somewhat extra
ordinary size, being over two feet in
length. and having a head on him proba-
bly, larger than a big Florida orange. aud
an enormous bill for bird His plumage
IS dark aud rather subdued in comparison
with the smaller parrots, 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 lighting blood
up and take mans finger of, which he
is capable of doing.
What viii be done with him has not
been determined yet There was q prop-
ositiou 10 conhne him in the new bear
PIT, but 1t is probable that he will be put
IN an outdoor cage for the summer. where
the bars are as thich as those used TO
conhne the eagles and vultures. The
strength OF his Dill is marvellous.
He-Are you quite sure you love me-
Just as devotedly as YOU did at hrst2
SHE think so; but / wouldn't like TO
near OF your losing another 5000. Chi
cago Inter DC ean.