The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-15

| cases the temper, condition and size of
| the creature are matters of speculation
until the van drives up and deposits. the
big box in which the creature has been
brought from the docks Very few are
| ready to appear in public at once; those
which. are obviously i'll and exhausted
sometimes undergo treatment for several
months before being exhibited In the
| front cages. Sutton was an untiring and
| successful nurse and doctor of such sick
and travel worn beasts.
Some years ago a young tiger arrived
| from the back regions of China. This
animal should have shown the fine pro-
portions and long furry coat for which
the northern tiger is famous. Instead 1t
was a mere caricature of a tiger. 1t had
been half-starved for months before its
delivery at the coast. Having been cap
tured Just at the time when a tiger cub
begins to grow, the result of this ill-treat-
ment was that while its head had increas-
ed to the normal size of a hah-grown
tigers, its body was no larger than that
of small retriever. Its limbs were bent,
and it's whole frame stunted and unde-
veloped It's whole appearance suggested
vention OF Cruelty to Animals in the
Northern Provinces of China. To rear the
creature and develop it into an animal
fit for public exhibition appeared impossi-
BILE. One point only was In the keepers
favor. In spite Of Ill treatment, the IT,
gers temper and disposition were amia-
Bile. 1t was almost II not quite, the tam
est of it's species ever kept at the zoo. 1t
could be handled like a big dog, and
showed its affection for the keepers by
purring loudly as soon as II saw or even
The first business of the keepers was
to feed ii wisely, but not too well. It's
digestion was poor, and its jaws were too
weak to crack large bones II was there
fore put on a diet of boiled mutton and
bone dust, the latter being added as MAJ
terial for building up it's frame. The tiger
soon began to grow and was making good
progress when the secondary effects of
early neglect appeared. This commonly
takes the form of loss of fur. In the
present instance the unfortunate tiger lost
all its hair except that on its head and
face. During this time it was kept lin re-
treat" but by careful diet and the use
restored. and it was at last exhibited,
fairly grown, with a good coat and as
tame as dog, In the front cages. Then.
after some months, ii fell I'll. this time Of
an incurable internal disease, and died,
much to Sutton's regret, who always de-
clared that it would have made a nice
tiger"
1t always appeared to the writer that he
treated lions and some male tigers as If
they were dogs; while all the lionesses
the leopards, pumas and most tigers were
treated as cats. Lionesses he never touch
ed with the hand, and leopards, except the
snow leopards, very seldom; but some of
their dealings with him as IL they were
domesticated animals. Bears, ne main
tanned, always became unsafe to handle
after they were full-grown, though often
tame and friendly when cubs. Polar bears,
on the other hand, he looked upon as al
ways dangerous and quite untamable,
having a kind of incurable levity which
makes them absolutely without respect
or fear for man, even when they are kept
in captivity.
An animal which has recovered from the
bad effects of transportation and has lived
six months at the Zoo may be considered
as acclimatized to its peculiar surround
ings, and lives in comfort the rest of its
days, until age or the ordinary accidents
of animal life make special treatment nee
essary. The ingenuity by which these
mishaps are remedied often shows consid-
cradle observation and knowledge of the
animals habits on the part Of their keep
ers. One of the most poisonous snakes,
king cobra, recently became nearly
blind. When 1t shed its skin II threw off
every part except the transparent plate
which covers the eye. After each change
Of skin this plate remained uncast, and the
successive layers became Opaque, and pro-
5ected over the eye in a horny boss. The
keeper used the snake habit of creeping
through any aperture which Il can find
in the wall of its cage to make II rid itself
of the growth over the eye. He drew back
the iron shutter which separates one COM
partment from the other, leaving a mar
row space open.
The cobra soon discovered this, and
pushed its nose into the crack. This was
signify Widened, and the snake squeezed
through, rubbing or one OF the scales as
II did So. II was then induced to go
back py the way It had come and after