Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-28

most beautiful creatures in captivity This
young lion was taken from his African
home when about three weeks old, and so
has practically been Gagged all his life.
Ten Days In Seclusion.
But the whelps must not be entirely for
gotten. They were born with closed eyes,
as is the case with all these creatures, and
it will be ten days from the time Of their
birth, or about a week from today, before
they will be able to see They will be kept
within the boxed cage in the meanwhile.
ard so it will be useless for any visitors
trying to see them III less Rose should
chance to be accommodating enough to
bring one of them out In ner mouth to show
to her friends and admirers. She usually
lies in the inner cage, with her head at the
door. SO she can see what goes on outside
while attending to her maternal duties
within the nest.
The chief danger to tho little ones Is that
Rose may accidentally roll or step on one
in the darkness that pervades the box cage.
There Is no apprehension on the part of the
keepers that she will knowingly harm them.
A lioress is, as rule, very motherly, and
takes excellent care Of her young, differing
in this respect from the female panther,
which Is apt to exhibit the tastes of can
nibal and eat her offspring. Indeed, this has
occurred at the Zoo here Last April the
as the lions presented the establishment
with three fine youngsters. Before they
could be taken from the mother she had
eaten two of them, and only one was saved.
He is now splendid young beast, thorough
ly well and quite happy, except just before
meal times, when he whines after the lash
ion of an over-grown kitten. He Is now
Gagged in the last compartment but one
toward the north on the east side of the
L of the carnivorium, next to the single
hyeEa.
A Great Record.
Keeper Blackburn is in strong hopes Of
raising the entire litter of lions born We'd
nesday night, as he is fast achieving the
reputation of being one of the most success
full breeders of wild beasts in America, and
it will be no small achievement TO present
the Zoo with four fine lions in bunch. He
has long list of such arrivals for the cur
rent year, and in almost every instance the
young have prospered. These are five Vir-
GINA deer, two elk, llama, five raccoons
three panthers, two porcupnes, a kangaroo,
a zebra, q wild cat and now four lions. Two
Of the deer died. owing to maternal indiffer-
fered from the unnatural appetite of their
stern parent, as already related. Other
wise the kindergarten class of 1895 at the
Zoo Is in a louriShing condition.
Family of RattIcrs.
Mention was omitted in this enumera ton
Of twelve baby rattlesnakes that have re-
Gently come wriggling Tito existence from
twelve curiously-shaped eggs. They are
now enjoying all the comforts of home in a
box near the main entrance to the carniv-
orium. with their parents and several
friends of the family. Zach little RATHER
Is provided with a button on the tip of its
tail, and in time more of these dreadful
ornaments will appear. 1t is popular be-
lief that rattlesnake adds ring to its
caudal equipment each year, and that there
fore the number of rattles indicates the
age of the reptile. Mr.. Blackburn is in
clined to believe that this is a fallacy, as
ne does not find that the snakes follow tins
rule. They may be sucn poor lnathema-
tfc1anS as to lose track of the calendar but
at all events the two elements do not al
ways coincide. This is also the case with
deer, which are supposed to add a tine to
their horns each season. On tine contra y
elk have been known to grow horns one
year with fewer tines than the year before
though, as rule, the an.le~s become grad
ually heavier and more branching as time
passes, up to certain point, when each
successive set Is about the same size as the
predecessor.
The Baby Monkey.
The baby monkey be m in the Zoo several
months ago is a healthy young chap, and is
now being tenderly ard carefully reared by
its father, now a widower. The mother
died some time ago of tuberculosis, and
the old man turned in CALAMITY at once to
complete the education of his youngster.
He Is serious chap, of the McGinty style
OF construction as to face and whSkerS,
and he has most businesslike habit of
reducing the parasitic population on his
young son to a minimum. The baby is very
lively and full of pranks, taking unseemly
advantage at times of his parents sleepi-
Eess, when, after an hour or two spent at
the toilet, the elder one seeks the comfort
of nap in corner Of the cage.
A Successor to Diana.
oolrl i,
recently secured monkey that he hopes
will take the place of Diana, the beautiful
green simian that was poisoned by laurel
last spring. Poor Dianas memory is yet
as green as was her brilliant back, and
a sigh is heard in the Zoo for her
and really useless death. Ever
since she fell a victim to her own curiosity
and the unintentional recklessness of q
bystander, DR.. Baker and Mr.. Blackburn
have been trying to get another monkey of
the same species. few weeks ago an
animal importer at New York secured for
them young Diana monkey-that is the
family name, and will be borne by the sue
cessor of the late lamented-which is now
at the Zoo. On receipt 1t was found, to the
great delight of DR.. Baker, who had feared
that he could never find as gentle and adj
mirable a nature in another monkey as
that of Diana 1, that the youngster was
exceedingly kind and tame, and, although
she Is now but a few months old, she gives
promise of being thoroughly worthy oc-
cupant of the place which the original
DIP made for herself in the hearts of the
thousands of visitors to the Zoo. At pres
ent she is being kept in small box next
to George, the hippopotamus. but when
she grows a bit more accustomed to her
new home she will be given larger cage
in which to develop her acrobatic tenden-
cies. When the hand Of the keeper is put
within the bars of her little box she utters
soft cries of delight and chambers up on
his fingers to roost there in perfect Sc
curity and confidence.
A New Kangaroo.
Out in the antelope house Is a female
kangaroo, which recently gave birth to
a young one. which is now being carried
in the pouch. These creatures are born
and must be protected for
time in this curious little home. In short
time the youthful marsupial will probably
begin to peep forth and to hang his head
out of the window, so to speak. Presently
he will join the procession of jumpers and
will be fully accredited member of the
family, filling the place of the ancient
kangaroo that had recently to be killed as
a measure Of kindness.
Trustees sale of dwelling and store on
D sFeet near corner of 9Th street north
west, takes place on Monday at o'clock
pm. See advt.