The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-16
A SING FOR DINNER.
ABOUT As TAME AND FROLICSoMB
as A P.IIR or KITTENS.

Hut na John n-DucL'S Nnro w ouid Let No Man
Ride Her Except John n.DucE, so Nobody
hut Mr.. spencer ~ tho Aquarium Repre-
sents M O'crruiinE Providence to the seals.
After tho crowds had left tho Aquarium yeu-
tcrhay DIR. Bean, tho superintendent, took several
reporters to tho seal tank TO soc tho ami
mails fod. Tho two seals, when hail from the
coast OF Nucntan, have, since their arrival hero,
grown very tame, and arc rs intelligent as doRe.
No sooner had tho electric gong, which gives
notice Of the closing hour. begun TO ring than
the seals swan over to tho steps Mt one end OF
the tank, sat up on their tails with their bodies
half ont OF water, opened their mouths and be-
gan TO sing for their dinner.
Now, the song Of the seal is no siren song. u
is n harsh, raucous bark of such volume thae
tho building fairly rang with IL, ana ordinary
conversation was shut OFT.
"Thcy will keep that up" said DIR. Bean, "un-
I'll Mr.. Spencer comes. lie always feeds them
Mt this hour, and tho minute thew hear that
gong they begin their concert"
Presently Mr.. Spencer arrived and sat down
upon the porapct that surrounds the pool, Both
seals plunged IT,. shot across the tank, ana
bobbed up simultaneously, coming 80 far out Of
the water that they fairly fawnod upon his
boois; ,,,
calls" said Mr., Spencer, shaking q finger %
Them: back and swim around n while"
oa As In Il they p nungsmo6,, this Il tho S, animals %n,l Sr %r'
Spencer leaned over and tapped the bigger one
on tho nose with his knuckie. Down went the
seal and came up s%norting and snutiing.
smaller ono. and 1t shot up out OF tho water al
the m with a series OF barks. Now,
are you ready r.
Both animals gave tongue furiously, Reach
Ing back into q phil, Mr.. Spencer flung to each q
section of eel, which was doNtcrouSly caught
and ravcnouslv swallowed. At the next toss
the bigger seal missed the catch and tho other,
tiiSjnu ont thu tnprapl Wharnnnnn tho 0raN
rushed ut his companion. over md over they
plunged. swapping with formidable teeth al
each other. II seemed to the uninitiated spec
Gus calamity. but this was q mistake. All tho
ferocity was make-bclieve;
Of them has ever bitten the other; 1t is like
kittens playing. They seem to he In deadly ear
nest. but at the end there isn't a scratch to
show"
At the conclusion OF the feast the seals were
still hungry, apparently. and barked for moro
until Mr.. Spencer sco!ded them and sternly
blde them be quiet. Then they swan about.
bows, as II in acknowledgment OF the meal.
The seals are credited with having the keenest
appetite OF any denizsns OF the Aauarium, but
from anybody but Mr.. Spencer. Wherever he
appears they greet him by plunging up from
the surface OF the, water as far as they can and
keeping this up AS long as he is in sight.
a somewhat similar intelligence. Is exhibited
by the groupcrs who live in L double. sized wall
tank. Thev are q large fish, some OF the speci-
the glass front Of their tank they pay no atten.
tinn. but let any one approach behind tho
scenes ana they will swim along keeping even
with him as he passes the tank. Should he
stop they will gather at the surface, and,
sticking their noses out into the air: open and
close their mouths snggestivcly. Unlike the
seals. however. these fish make no distinction
between different persons. They hope for .
inorscl from any one.