New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-06

IN THEIR WIN7ER QUbRTEh&
CENTRAL. PARKS DENIzENs FROM THE iHofi's
SAFELY HOUSED.

CENTRAL. PARKS pENIzENs FROM THE TROPICS
SAFELY HOUSED.
Tho cold snan Of the last few days. that mas
given every one fair warning that WINTER 10 ne,
has no, been d!sregarded by superintendent ''''
Of tho Central Park Menagerle 1t was determined
that all denizens OF the tropics should De ho'eu
into their winter quarters day or so ago.
The small doors that let the lions tigers ana
leopards out into their summer cages were eiose'
and the beasts are now confined in their winter
quarters and If rtheir roaring was any indicauoh
of their state OF mind they were decidedly ahs'!'
for roaring was the order OF the day. The PEN
ming in of these animals is the simplest thing IN
the world. \ trapdoor drops. ana the amman 10
safely at home for the winter
II is a different question with the hippopotami
and the algators Their summer quarters are Out
in the open, and their winter quarters are IN the
lion house. There is an open patch OF grass anu
an asphalt path between the two. and one never
quite knows what hippopotamus or alligator may
do. 1t was shortly after noon that the entrance
from the hippo" pond the door of the lion-house
had been boarded up. so as TO give CaTph' M'"s
Murphv and Fatima clear right of way and a
gentle hint that the Park in general was not TO be
gwen UP to them as a stamping ground The hip
po' family seemed to know exactly wnat was eN-
pected OF them. and. leaving the big oui-of-door
tank they took up their stations in the feeding
yards. and with their small. bullying eyes looked on
at the work Of the keepers and twitched their
small ears with evident excitement. When ali was
ready. the big iron gates were opened and Calph,
evidently anxious for his winter home. 'galumphed
out
Jake" Cook, whose usual duty II is TO look after
the monkeys had lent a hand and was IN the alley
way. He is not as athletic as he was thirty years
ago and not as clear sighted. He tripped over a
piece of lumber, and had it not been for "Phil
Holmes, another of the keepers. who picked him
up in hurry, Caliph might have stepped on him,
nd he a Caliph a
would probably be serious.
Miss Murphy and Faima. the females OF the fam
ily walked to their winter home with that grace
that BELTS porty duchess and her only daughter,
but it is sad to relate that Miss Murphy, as soon
as she found herself in her brownstone winter tank.
Immediately came to the bars and opened mouth
that would make the purest Celt envous, and
begged for peanuts candy. biscuits or, better still
a loaf of bread Everything vanished down that
capacious
The alligators were the next to be moved into
their winter home which is a tank built under
the cages Of the pumas. There is large family
of alligators in the menager:e. ranging from Mul-
doom some ten feet long. to the baby, hardly twelve
winter quarters means period of several months
fast and he resents ii strongly. 1t is not diff
alligator. Catch him firmly by the end OF the
tai. hoist him in the air and by repeated jerks
what has hold of his tail. That WAS easy task
with the smaller members OF the family. but II was
They Kissed and snarled and showed a row of teeth
that made the WOuld-De captOr cautious. one by
one. however theV were lassOed from over the rail
and when pinned against the ironwork keeper
would with his foot press down the upper jaw for
like all of this family these creatures can move
the upper Jaw. When the mouth was closed half
hitch Was,nade over the snOut.
All WORE IA done even then. These fellows
have immense power in their tails. and with the
large aIiigators il took good 10 hold 20
this appendage. while one man was wanted to hold
on each lex, and another man held on 10 the
head line
Barney. one of the largest agators. caused
some trouble in getting him into his winter home.
but he was an angel compared TO his country
man, Muldoon. Just the latter was being dragged
under the iron rail that separates the grass pasture
that surrounds the pond from the asphalt path.
the that closed his wide jaws slipped. and he
had fun control of his swapping pr0cliVities The
nearest thing Superintendent Smiths Prince
Albert coat. and that worthy officer viii have 10
buy a coat. The one he wore home last night
had only one tail. Even Muldoon housed at last
and the next meal these animals will get will be
time in May next.
ii was curious TO notice that the lions. etc, paid
little heed to the introduction Of the great hippo
potami but the bringing in of thu allgators caused
them conslcra unea siness, and they tore from
side to side of their dens as these saurlans were
placed In their winter quarters