Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-08

| could not be told. However, he licked the
bottom of his front paws for few min
| utes and then went off into a profound
slumber, opening mouth, before doing so,
| which might have been mistaken for a
railroad tunnel.
| The lions were alive and full of ginger.
as were the panthers. The latter are &C
| customed to cold weather and storms.
An Even Temperature.
| The temperature in the animal houses is
| IS or 60 degrees continually, so that it is
| actually real summer time for them. One
| of the monkeys expressed surprise that so
| few people have come out to the Zoo late
| ly, showing that he knew little about the
| cold weather. The porcupines appeared
| to be too stuck up to let it make any diff
| ference to them what season of the year 1t
was. The hyenas were as lively and re-
Lulsive as ever, and the monkeys chartered
| with one another just as they did last sum
r1er when the sun beat down warm on the
Rock creek village
| Up in another house. especially built for
| winter accommodation, were the kanga-
rCcs, the ostrich, who has apparently
| gained flesh during the winter season, the
Indian deer and a group of ibis The kan
| garoos appeared disconsolate that they
| had no green grass to hop around on, as
| they had a few months ago, but otherwise
| appeared at peace with themselves and
their surroundings. OF necessity their ex-
| ercse has to be somewhat curtailed, so
they can no longer measure their leaps by
| the acre. A yard or so is about all tney
can take at time now. The zebu has re-
Gently been added to the occupants OF
this house, for reasons best known to her-
self and Head Keeper Blackburne BY thls
| time she has found the floor OF her quar-
ters is not as good a place for browsing
| as she has been accustomed to. but has
turned her attention to the hay PROVIDED
| for her.
The peacocks are still outside and make
| a most pleasing effect as they strut abort
| the snow-covered plots, with their bril-
| liant plumage. They neglect, however, to
show ii to their fullest extent at the pres
| ent season.
Dogs Are Not mt Home.
The prairie dogs IN the fall must have
| determined to dig through to the other
| side and pay a visit to the Iowery king
| dem, for they have disappeared. They have
| been blotted out of existence, to speak,
| for the entrances to their homes have been
covered with the snow. They have gone
in their holes and pulled the entrances
| in after them. for all the signs they have
left behind them. They will Dob later
on, however from below, when the sky
above is clearing and the clouds are dis
appearing. They hibernate in their holes,
and their attractive persons must be dis
pensed with by the chIldraa until warmer
days come.
The ground hog has gone back into his
hole. and, according to traditions, will not
be seen again for six weeks so that visit
ing cards for this important parsonage
should be left with Head Keeper Bla ck-
burne, to be presented when the animal
comes out again. air. Blackburre says two
gentlemen of color who were out at The
Zoo Wednesday anXiously inquired for him
but arrived too late 10 catch him on his
flying visit
Some of the animals like nothing better
than good old-fashioned snow storm Mr.
Blackburne says, and they manifest great
delight at it in their own peculiar way
These, of course, are animals accustomed
to this country and this climate, which re-
main out of doors all the year round. The
buffalo are in this category and the elk
They were seen during the visit standing
outside of their shelters in the snow, as il
hey enjoyed the experience hugely and il
reminded them of old times on the prairie,
when the norther came down in its fury
or the west wind howled through the
primeval forests
Weather Suits These.
The buffalo seemed to be a little less
dense than usual The elks stamped and
shifted the air If the very smell of WIN
ter was pleasant to their nostrils. They
love this season of the year and are prob
ably at their best in it. They are allowed
to roam about part of the Rock creek
reservation at their WILL coming to their
feeding places at the proper time. The
llamas used in cold weather, they
come from the Andes mountains. The only
difference between their appearance now
and during the summer season is that they
have donned their winter coats and look
much more shaggy than at any other time.
They stay out of doors a large portion of
the time, only going into their winter quar-
tiers when the storm is raging or the wind
is blowing the snow too keenly about their
ears. They have nice matched quarters,
where they can stay at such times
The wolves, foxes and such animals are
greatly pleased with this sort of wea ther |
A snow storm is pic mic for Them and |
they make their little modern Rome howl |
when there is a premcnition of it in the !
atmosphere. They do not need to look at |
the forecast of the weather bureau, either,
in order to know when 1t Is coming. The |
foxes are particularly enthusiastic over |
its approach. Their appetites are sharpen
ed, and they are ready for treason, strata
gem or spoils when the frost has sharpened |
tt cir Wits. The squirrels were having an /
"at home" when seen, and were evidently 1
passing the compliments of the season /
among themselves.
Its all right, it's all right" one Of them |
said, as he cracked a sunhower seed and |
threw the hull at the visitor. This is the /
kind of weather when we know what our |
tails are good for. Talk about your ceal- |
skin sacques. / wouldn't trade my caudal |
appendage, with its thick hair, for any CT |
your high-priced garments. 1 don't care /
whether the wind blows or not. so long as /
I've got my ulster along with me. I don't
n