Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-10-01
EFFECT OF cATNlP At THE zoo.
wild Members Of the Feline Tribe Is De-
lighted As the Domestic Cat.

An interesting experiment was made al
the Lincoln Park zoo; last week, says this
Chicago Times Herald. to learn whether
all the members of the cat family from
the lion down to the lynx were as fond OF
the weed as are the domestic tabby and
tom. Catnip does not grow in the East
Indian jungles, in the African haunts OF
the lion and leopard. in the range of the
South American jaguar. nor is it supposed
to border the tracks of the mountain lion
of North America. Still, the reasoning
ran that all these creatures were cats or
cousins to cats at any rate. and the Won
der grew as to whether animals which
had never seen or Smelled the stuff would
go into the eestasies over it which marks
the conduct of the household cat every
time bit of the strongly scented plant
is brought within it's reach.
An armful of fresh green catnip was
plucked from the golf grounds of the Ex-
moor Club at Highland Park. 1t was
taken to Lincoln Park and permission
was asked of Animal Keeper De vry to
try the effects of the green stuff on the
feline members of his family. The keeper
said that catnip, being good for one kind
of cat ought to be good for another. and
not only gave his permission for the ex-
pertinent. but consented to go along as Il
witness. The results of the experiment
far exceeded expectations Perhaps the
most astonishing incident connected with
the tour of the cages happened just as
the visitor with his big bundle of catnip
left the Office of the keeper in the animal
house. The scent of the plant filled the
whole place and as soon as it had reached
the parrots corner the two gaudily at
tired macaws set up noise that drowned
thought. and made for the side of the
cage. poking their beaks and claws
through. When the catnip was brought
near them they became nearly frantic.
They were given some and devoured it
stem. leaf and blossom with an avidity
commensurate with the noise of their
voices. Where the macaws learned to like
catnip Is a problem vet unsolved.
The keeper and the catnip carrier then
made for the cage of Billy, the African
leopard. Now Billy, SO far as is known,
had never before smelled or seen leaf
of the plant. Before the front of his cage
was reached he had bounded from the
shelf wherein he lay apparently asleep
and stood expectant alert and with
frightened eyes at the bars of his cage
When the feeding hour for the Lincoln
Park animals is at hand they roar and
caterwaul, lash their tails and dash from
end to end of their dens as though they
were contemplating suicide by the beat
ing out Of their brains against the bars.
That sort of a performance is tame as
compared to Billy the leopard's actions
when that big bundle of fresh catnip was
unrolled under his very nose in front of
the iron bars of his cage. This African
exotic went simply insane. The man with
the catnip purposely waited for few
minutes before he poked any Of the green
leaves and yellowish white flowers of the
plant through to the big cat. Having
vented his impatience to some extent with
high jumps from the floor of the den to
the shelf and back again. ACCOMPANIED by
furious lashing of the tail. Billy made
for the shelf once more and poked his
paws through toward the catnip. while in
his eyes was a look which was almost
pitifully beseeching.
Finally double handful of catnip was
nassed through to the floor of the den.
Never was the prey of this African dwell
or in his wild state pounced upon more
rapidly or with more absolutely savage
enjoyment. First Billy ate a mouthful OF
the catnip then lie lay fiat on his back
and wriggled his sinuous. length through
the green mass until his black-spotted
yellow hide was permeated with the odOr
ct the plant from shoulders to tail tip.
Then Billy sat on a bunch of the catnip.
caught lpaf-laden stem III, in either paw
and rubbed hts cheeks. chin. nose, eyes
and head. After this the LEOPARD crawled
in the leaves, danced on them and at
length turned sOmarsaultS. BY the time
he was through with his antics he reeked
with catnip. Heated with his cxertions
he exnded ca tnip at every pore. He ate
en- additional mouthful or two of the
stnfr and then Jumped back to his shelf,
whore he lay. the very picture of safety
ard contentnent.
While all this was going on In the Loop
Hrd's cage his cousin the jagnar. In the
den adjoining, absolutely refused. how
over to make an exhibition OF himself for
the benefit Of the spreader of the feast.
In the tigers cage there u . young but