The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-25
GREATER NEW YORK'S ZOO
SAN FRANCISCO ALSO WILL HAVE A
BIG ANIMAL SHOW.
Gardens That VIII Far Surpass Those
of Foreign Cities-ImprOved Meth
DDS of Keeping Animals.
New York Evening Sun.

New YORK Evening Sun.
The East and the West-New York and
San Francisco-are simultaneously putting
under way schemes of civic Improvement
which, as far as the animal kingdom in the
United States is concerned. will have far
reaching effects. Each of the cities men
toned has in contemplation a grand zoolog-
zeal park, which for geographical extent
and ultimate utility will surpass anything
OF the kind now in existence. The gardens
OF Europe, as well as those in this coun-
try are cramped affairs, the very nature
OF which interferes with the scientific in
tention which should be behind them-that
is, the preservation of beasts and birds in
as nearly wild state is possible, the
surer preservation of forms nearly extinct,
the propagation of animals which 90 not
now breed in captivity. the study of forms
the habits OF which are now rather obscure.
With these ideas in mind New York has
dedicated 26l acres of Bronx Park, and San
Francisco the whole of Mission Park to
the purpose. They will be geological parks,
as opposed to geological gardens, and the
one in New York will be the largest in the
world.
Some idea Of the magnitude of these en-
terprises can be gained by a comparison
dens. The Berlin garden, which is the
largest of all, contains but sixty acres.
Next in extent is the Paris Jardin d'Ac-
climatation. 1t contains fifty acres. Rot
terdam has thirty-seven acres, Hamburg
thirty-fiye London thirty Jardin des
Plantes thirty, Amsterdam twenty-five,
Cologne twenty-five and a half, and Leipsic
twenty. The rest, not worth mentioning.
are smaller. The grounds generally speak
ing, are crowded with buildings The Amer
lean ldea or geological park will revolu-
tlonlze this state of affairs. Heretofore
large game animals such as deer elk
bison, etc, have been kept in pens In
Bronx Park 1t is proposed to give the deer
a range OF twenty acres. The buffalo range
Will be twenty acres in extent, and it will
be occupied by twenty-five animals The
jack rabbit will occupy the same Enclosure
with the bison. Sharp-tailed grouse will be
Enclosed with the elk, and sportsmen may
nave chance to study their habits at close
range.
One feature of the New York enterprise
Will be the attention paid to American ami
mails and birds. This will, in fact be the
speciality of the institution. To preserve
propagate and exhibit the lower inhabitants
OF this continent will be noble object held
always in view. 1t is not enough that we
possess a Yellowstone Park in which to
harbor the last herd of wild bison. That
nerd is slowly but surely decreasing, either
through exposure, which lack of migration
haStens or through the surreptitious efforts
of hunters. There are supposed to be TWEEN
ty-ilve wild bison in that herd, but tourist
and experienced zoologist who recently re-
turned from the Yellowstone was able to
count but twenty.
"A NATIVE ANIMAL.
The American beaver is, in the opinion
of many noted BIOLOGISTS the most inteIli-
gent lower animal now living, not even ex-
cepting the dog, the elephant or the horse
heretofore in geological gardens the struc-
| lures he would otherwise build in a wild
state have been ready made for him. Trees
have been felled, dams have been made
more acceptable with cement and stone
and while it looked like beaver establish
ment it was nevertheless constructed by
human hands. In Bronx Park the beavers
Will have an inclosure, including a water
course and some trees. They will be placed
within the run and made to work out their
own salvation They will be allowed to cut
down trees and construct their own dam.
with the birds, wherever the feathered
4 nm can be trusted to stay within
the grounds, they will have full liberty
But there is scheme under way TO give
some high-hying, birds their liberty, to al
low them to circle high in the air, yet keep
them in captivity. This will be possible, in
view OF the soaring cage, the plans for
which are already laid down.
Think OF a bird cage which will be al
most as high as a modern Office building
ana as long and as wide as a city block.
The ground area of this cage is laid down
as being approximately $50 by 100 feet
High up within this mammoth Enclosure
the heron and stork and birds of a like ma
vault.
The eagle eeries will be built on an en-
treiy new plan. natural ledge of rock
Will compose the high back wall of the
cages The wire portiol- of the cage will
rise perpendicularly from the top of the
ledge, and after describing a circle through
the air VIII descend many feet in front
The rock will be followed out in places
forming arches, in the cool shade of which
the birds can retire to sleep or to be out
OF the way of the gaze of sightseers. Just
SO with the bear dens. The old-fashoned
inclosure for bears is truly a den
The new style of bear Enclosure will con-
slst, as in the case of the eagles, of a ledge
of rock, up which the animals can climb
but topped off with a row of iron bars
The ground floor plan of the cage will he
extensive. 1t will consist of concrete. and
VIII have in addition a gravel run and
derneath the rocks there will be a sleeping
den.
The water fowl will have a natural lake
placed at their disposal. The alligatOrs will
also have a small lake of their own but it
will not be a poor little pool of stagnant
water, such as is usually seen in animal
gardens.
OF SCIENTIFIC INTEREST.
The sea lions will have the best possible
swimming pool in the country, and the ac-
commodations placed therein will be of such
an extensive character as to make the ami
mails forget all about the existence of Seal
Rock or of the peagic sealing grounds of
the north Pacific. 1t is sufficient to say of
the larger animal houses, such as those of
the lion, monkey and even of the small
mammals, that they will be built upon an
extensive plan. The interior cages will be
spacious and the outside runways as large
in proportion. The outside cages of the
lions and of the tigers, as planned will be
big enough to contain a good sized tennis
court.
Thus these parks will become not only
stations for the propagation Of rapidly dis
appearing wild animals, but centers of at
traction to scientists and in the future to
students of the past greatness of the ami
of the geological societies is the establish
ment of improved facilities for painters of
animal life
The New York society's library building
will contain studios and workrooms for
geological artists and students. Already
there has been provided in the plan of the
lion house a large studio connecting with
the series of cages, in which on regular oc-
casions animals may be placed in a large
central cage of special construction and
used as models by artists who desire to
avail themselves Of the privilege 1t is pro-
posed that the library building shall con-
tain a gallery for the display of animal
paintings and sculptures, and that a series
of exhibitions of animal paintings and other
products of art as applied to geological sub
jects shall be fnaugurated and prizes be
awarded for the best works displayed.
1t is hoped that in the course of a few
years these parks will become the best
stocked animal repositories in the world
The London geological garden possesses at
present the largest collection of animals
1f1f Gxx-t1i Nh