Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-27
A GOVERNMENT MENAGERIE
Collection Of Animak Maintained at the De-
partment e Agriculture.
Not Rare Nor OluLaAge Proportions,
but SufRcientJforaUse in sciei-
tifc ExbeH3ments.

p&rtment Of Agricultura has a menagerie
In connection with Il, Init such is the case
The menagerfe Is not avery large one, nor
does 1t contain any rare or strange ami
mails. Most Of them are of the domestic
variety. 1t is part of the division of ami
NAL industry, and the animals are used to
develop interesting cases of disease and to
illustrate the effects Of epidemics Of par
ticular kind, which the division may wish
to experiment on with view to stamping
1t out and to test various kinds of foods of
which trial is thought to be efficacious.
Comprised in this collection of animals
are rats and mice. guinea pigs. rabbits, diff
ferent sorts of fowls, some cattle and
sheep, and a few others. The larger of the
animals are kept at the breeding place OF
the department. on the Benning road, while
others are domiciled- in the basement Of
the division of animal industry laboratory.
near the bureau of engraving and printing.
The division breeds It's own smaller ami
mails. AS in this way. when it wishes to
experiment, it is assured of having them
free from any cont animation.
Down in the basement, under the labora-
tory, which. was visited recently by Star
reporter, were seensA number of coops and
cages, in which were grouped guinea pigs,
rabbits and chickens. The animals seemed
to be perfectly at home and formed a
seemingly happy family, as some guinea
pigs were in the cage with rabbits. One
of the little white and black creatures was
nibbling at the whiskers of sleepy-looking
rabbit, which blinked contentedly, as If 1t
enjoyed the operation, or was too lazy to
resist any trespass on the part of the
guinea pig.
Dilnpidated Fowl.
MISUNDERSTANDING chicken, which had
much the-same appearance as has a tramp
who has been forced to saw wood for
meal at friendly inn," rested ON top of
cage. The guinea pigs seemed to be the
life of the place and ran in and out, with
apparently little or no concern whether
school kept or not"
On some of the cages where the rabbits
were confined, printed in large, black let
ters. was the wcrd Rabies" Upon the
cards also were the warnings to the at
PENDANTS and others not to put their hands
IN the cages. This meant that the animals
had been tnoculated with hydrophobia vi
rus, and 1t was therefore dangerous to
handle the animals A further precaution
taken in such cases. it is said, is not to in
oculate animals carniverous by nature, as
they become terribly ferocious nor any
ANIMALS whose chief means of defense is by
biting. cat or dog. for instance will
strive to bite when afflicted with the dis
ease. while rabbit, which is purely a veg
etarian, will simply NOPE and die without
making any resistance.
Unconscious of Danger.
III Splte OF the Int Cnat the sentence Oh
death, and an awful one at that, was af-
fixed to their cagess the rabbits did not ap-
pear to be otherwise than cheerful and
lively, and hoped nimBly about their little
quarters, and conducted themselves in all
respects after the manner of their kind
Perhaps the poison had not begun ito take
effect. All of the animals inspected the
visitors carefully. as If they had formed
the most select and exclusive community
Ill the world instead of one which had heen
allotted to Yield upolife for the benefit Of
science %
Ii was stated that, one, steer which had
the "blackleg,''' remained at one of the TX
pertinent stations Eer Jabout eight years
and the persons there, really became at
taehed to it. 1t is also tradition, of the
division of animal Industry that two goats
were once used for the purpose of scientific.
experiments The trial twas deemedato bes
most. successful in every Particular and
wonderful results were expected, when
unfortunately, the goats butted up against
the wall of death, and left yearning hopes
behind.
Ser te bill 1063 ''for the further preven-
ton of cruelty to animals in the District of
Columbia, was favorably reported to the
Senate May IL of this year by the commit
tee on the District of Columbia. A letter
was written by Secretary Wilson, protest
ing against the proposed legislation re-
stricting the experiments carried on by the
department.. Should the bill pass at the
coming Congress, the division of animal
industry menagerie will be dispensed with
of necessity.