The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1895-03-08

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 a corner. Three bars OF
thick wire partition between the cages
had been pulled out to make way Tor
the macaw's exit Apparently this
might have been an easy thing for a
man to do, but it is doubtful if man
conid have done it more neatly or COM
pletely.
The macaw was not put back in his
cage. He was given quarters IN
private cage, stout portable Enclosure
about three feet square, with floor OF
galvanized 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 cage, but
to make assurance doubly sure he was
placed in small room in the corner Of
the aviary and the door closed, which
proved a 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 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 a space large
enough for the macaw to make his exit.
How he did it is still a puzzle for the
Geological society to solve, if not a
puzzle for 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 if
thev had been made out of soft metal
bv 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 posi-
BILE. calmly returning his gaze. The
macayy is 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 q parrot of somewhat
extraordinary size, being over two feet
in length, and having head on him
probably larger than a big Florida
orange and an enormous bill for bird.
His plumage is dark and rather sub
dued 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 lie will get his fighting blood up
and take a mans finger off, which he is
capable of doing.
What will be done with him has not
been determined yet. There was a
! proposition to confine 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 as
those used to confne the eagles and
vultures The strength of his bill is