The record-union., 1894-07-14
4 BIRD SAMSON.
Species of Parrot With Extraordinary
Strength.
The Keepers of the Philadelphia Zoo
Completely Puzzled at the Feats
of Small Bird.

They have a lot of wonderful animals
at the Zoo, but the most wonderful of all
just now is bird. And he is q bird. He
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 concern
ing him. The bird is a species of the par
rot known as the macaw, and his native
country is Brazil. The warm breath of
summer which we have had several re-
cent touches of seems, to have in
spired him with confidence peculiar to
any creature that reels itself at home, and
the activity of some of his exploits has
surprised the keeper of the aviary, as
we'll as the officials of the geological gar
dens who have never had the opportunity
of seeing the macaw on his native heath.
He has only been in this country short
time, 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 flock of talk
ative but peaceful cockatoos, with feath-
erS as white as snow. be observed them
with comparative Indifference for time,
but few nights ago he decided to make
them neighborly cali. and now the gar
den is one cockatoo less in its group of
specimens of winged creation. How 1t
happened no one knew until the next
morning, when the macaw was found in
the cockatoo cage, sitting comfortably on
a perch, while beneath him lay dead
cock in the pit. The other cock atoos kept
themselves as far as possible out Of sight
in corner.
Three bars of thick wire partition be-
+ ha had laI
make way for the macaw's exit. Appar-
emily this might have been an easy thing
for man to do, but it is doubtful if man
could have done it more neatly or COM
pletely.
The macaw was not put back in his
cage. He was given quarters in a private
cage, stout portable lncloSure about
three feet square, with 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 stringers of thick iron, so that
their length was not over six inches in
any part of the cage. 1t was thought that
the macaw was pretty safe in that kind of
q cage, but to make assurance doubly
sure be was placed IL a small room in the
corner of the aviary and the door closed,
which proved wise precaution. The
next morning the keeper of the aviary
nearly fell dead with paralysis to find
the macaw at large, perched quietly on
the top of feed box. The box was
empty.
With his jaw dropped with consterna-
ton, the keeper, who had charge or all
the birds that ever came there in the
twenty 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, leav-
ing a space large enough for the macaw to
make his exit. How he did it is still
puzzle for the Geological Society to solve,
if not puzzle for good mechanical en-
~gineer familiar with the tensile and other
properties of iron bars.
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
mistake, 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 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 possible calmly returning
his gaze. The 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 be left them,
because there is not a 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 almost completely from view, ex-
cept at one corner left open to feed him.
The macaw's feat is the most astonish-
ing that has been seen in the garden since
it was founded. The bird is nothing but
q parrot of somewhat extraordinary size.
being over two feet in length, and having
a head on him probably larger than a big
Florida orange and an enormous bill for
a bird His plumage is dark and rather
subdued in comparison with the smaller
parrots, but it is very handsome. Since
he twisted the bars of his cage the keep
ers are wary in handling him, for fear he
will get his fighting blood up and take
mans finger off, which he is easily capa-
BILE of doing.
What will be done with him has not
been determined yet. There was propo-
sition to confine him in the new bear pit,
but it is probable that he will be put in
an outdoor cage for the summer, where
the bars are as thick as those used to con-
fine the eagles and vultures. The strength
of his bill is marvellous. us.-Pniladelphia
Telegraph.
A Musical Romance.
.sCould you enjoy life with me in the