The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-02
Elephants as Scholars.

in Central Park, New York. recently,
how anything SO stupid-looking and
thick-skinned as an elephant can be
taught anything. tell them all that
elephants are not unlike children. Some
are too duh to learn anything and others
catch an idea quickly.
Tom" he went on. pointing 10 the
large elephant who was buSily engaged
In throwing hay on his back. ALTHOUGH
irascible In disposition, Is quite intelii-
gent. The first trick I taught him was
TO lie down. This was not so easy TO
accomplish as II might seem. for Il took
block-and-fall, at front and rear: with
gang OF fifteen or twenty men at each
end. ! stood at one side. and as I said
Get down. his feet were drawn out from
under him. This had to be repeated on
~ few times, before he learned what
Get down meant for him.
ITO teach him TO stand on his hind seet.
and on his head. block-and-faH on q
beam over his head, a snatch-block and
two dead men in the floor. and the
services of another elephant were all re-
uuired. AS / said. Get up the elephant
in harness walked forward, and Toms
front feet went up, while his hind feet
were chained together. When 1 said
Stand on your head his front feet.
(which had been previously chained, re-
manned on the floor, while HIS hind feet
kicked the BEAM
These were his FIRST lessons. When he
learned TO drill, to 'rfght-about-face' and
1eft-about-face.' stood on one side OF
him, and another man on the other. and
we each had a prod. AS / commanded
'right-about-face,' he was pushed over to
the right. and left-about-face,' he was
rrodded in that direction. I taught him
to waltz in much the same way. only.
as we pushed him back and forth We
made him go clear around. and now he
is one Of the best walters in the coun-
try. He learned to ring the bell and fan
himself In one lesson. Both require the
same motion. and thew are really the
same trick. although ptople never think
of that. Yes, he knows which is which
and never picks up the fan or napkin
when I tell him to ring the bell. ! only
had to put each. one az a time. in his
trunk. and with the fan and bell shook
1t. and with the napkin wiped first one
side Of his mouth and then the other
He took to hand-organ grinding like q
Mulberry street Italian. 1t Is one Of his
favorite tricks
The elephant is the only animal whose
legs all bend the same way. His hind
legs bend in. and the position required
for creeping Is not very comfortable, but
he does II as we'll as a baby. His per-
fcrmances on the harmonica are the most
surprising to on-lookers. but the fact is,
that all the intelligence required for that
is holding the instrument AS he must
breathe through his trunk. every breath
moves Il back and forth. I discovered thai
he holds his breath when he stands on his
hind legs. by trying To get him to do
that and play the harmonica at the same
time: but his front feet are no sooner
up than the sound ceases until they are
down again.
His tub Is about two and a half feet
high. and II took me about an hour TO
get him to mount II the first time. and as
long to get him down from II Cnce re
was up. I had finally to impTovise \
step from Il before ne would come down.
He went right up again. however. and
came down. and repeated the movement.
several times in the first lesson. Now
he mounts II and stands on his hind feet.
his front feet his side feet, and Wait2es
and charges on IL.
People all seem to think that an eie-
plant has no sense of feeling. because his
skin Is thick and coarse. The fact IS
that his skin is as sensitive as 4 5aby's.
and II YOU tickle him with straw. you
will find IL out. The flies and mosquitoes
are great disturbers of his peace. AMI he
Is tossing hay on his back now 10 dis
lodge them
lOHu Hdu MS annual pain anu pliDS
a few days ago, and the latter operation
prevents his skin from getting too dry. In
his native state he treats himself 20 mud
baths and keeps himself In condition.
1.-The feet of the elephant have 10 be
repaired frequently, for they are as sus-
ceptibie 10 corns and stone-bruises as the
feet OF people. and they have TO be cut
and trimmed. You wouldn't think H..
would you. that twice around Toms f-ort
- II FIJI
weight upon Il, Is equal to his height?
It is true. and II IS a rule that It seldom
varies an inch in any elephant.
1.-The African elephants have only four
toes and their ears are very large. The
Asiatic elephants have five toes and
their ears are smaller. There are few At
rican elephants in this country. not more
than three or four. Not long ago. at
an exhibition in this city. there was a
skin Of leather with small ears and com
paratively fine texture 1.-THE hide from all
elephants has too large pores n make
Il OF use). and II was labelled Hide from
an African elephant People don't know
anything about them"
As Mr. Snyder said this. he walked 70
the cage OF the third occupant Of the
elephant-house. where the two-horned
rhinoceros stood in the opposite corner
looking stOlidly In the opposite direction.
slowly but promptly the stupid-looking
animal turned and walked up 10 his keep
or. putting her pointed lip through the
bars on to his hand. open your mouth, y
he said. mo. open It wider. wider and
after repeated efforts Il was opened wide
! enough to display the two perfectly
| shaped tongues. one above the other.
whether this IL a characteristic OF the
| two-horned rhinocerns I do not know.
II "bnCauGa
~ one in captivlty-;he only one tha;
has been captured"
Her strength lies in her huge neck. and
| her front horn Is for stabbinH and the
back one for tearing. She can be as
quick as a cat. and is the most valuable
and most ferocious animal in the Zoo,
Her eyes are so placed. however. that she
can only look straight ahead. and not up
| or down When food Is placed before her
on the ground she cannot see Il. but feels
| for il She has TO be oiled once month.
| she IS a beauty" said Mr.. Snyder, blu;
I admit that the dent which involves the
| largest part OF her head doesn't leave
much room for brains"
| All Of the animals seem 70 have very
long memories" said Mr. Smith. who i'
| in charge OF the msnager!e. '-One Of the
| tiRrssses took a dislike the day she came
| which was several years sEo. 10 one OF
| ;he keepers. and every time she has seen
| him since she has spit and snaried and
! sprurg AZ the bars In an enort IN get ~
| him. She knows him IN crowd. and
| even n I am inside the rail-. scratching
her as she likes 20 have me. the moment
/ she catches sight Of him she Is en-
| ragged
| Abor,t ten thousand people visit the
| nenagerie every day. and there are fire.
| oueu.ly as many ss sixty thousand or
| nlaasan, hOlHavs The people enjoS -.