The Washington weekly post., 1899-05-30
l0hG-lIvE0 ANIMALS.
Rhinooeros and Parrot Hold tho Record in
Philadelphia Zoo,

From the Philadelphia Press.
Few people who visit the ZoolovI,,I
Gardens realize the wonderful sgs ~
which some Of the animals live o. s,o,
TO think that perhaps those who so grers.
fully receive the sweet morsels and rs,.
nuts from tneir hands have long ago a.
gratefully sat up on their hind Isga =, h.,
fed BY the killed youth you now are
pleased to call your father But such Il
state of affairs really exists.
There are some animals at the 70,
who were in the gardens long before fba
oldest keeper began his long term OF 4srv-
Ice. OF course, it is almost impossible q,
determine with any degree Of accurac.
the exact age OF these oldest mbabir.
ants" record has been kept OF the
date when the Geological Society secured
them. From that time 20 the present
their years are known. But their AKA
before that time. like that OF a negro
Will always be matter OF conjecture
Inc Oldest animal at the Zoo undoubt
edly Is the rhinoceros. Headkeepsr
Thomas B. Manley prOnounces him a.
without a moments hesitation, and he
ought TO know his age, for he has bseT
associated with him longer than aHy
other man. Manleys pet name for him
IS Pete. Accordingly. he has been dub.
bed. Pete, the Patriarch OF the "a"
The rhinoceros has been in the gardens
Ior twenty-five years. as the records In
Arthur j. Browns office. in old JoF1
Penn's house, show. He was bougb, rom Ig,r1
John OBrien's only Living Word "a
nous Circus" where he did Stunts" fo-
a nYing. Manley, who is the headkeeps-
at the Zoo now. was his keeper then.
BEFORE Pete came to the gardens ne
was under the charge OF Maniey for len
years. not only in circus work but also
IN exhibitions at the famous dime muse
lms OF all the large cities Of America
~ IS supposed he came from Africa orig.
lhaily, Dut how or when nobody hes been
found who knows Only thirty-dya yea-J
OF his life. therefore are ACTUALLY known
He was full grown when ManIey sTsi Sine rrsf
MN, ana, since the books OF scientists
telI US that the species to which he be-
longs, the paChydeTmatous family does
not reach its full growth until its fhfr.
Ieth year, II Is safe 20 conjecture that
Pete is at least siKty-five wears oId 10
has the distinction Of being ono nj tho
Oldest residents al the Zoo. for hp came
there about the same year that the gar
denS were opened 10 the public Fa0 N
the original animals who formed a mar,
OF the opening day exhibits are now
The two elephants in the cago ,dfol,.,,
that In which Pete is kept are cen,nara.
uVely young. II is WelI-knoV-n fact
tnat elephants as q rule live 10 a good 01
age In the wild state. but somab0W rhag
do not thrive so well IN captivity. Tbs
result Is the Geological Society has fre-
quently been put 20 II 10 replace their a.s-
plants. Those AT the gardens ngu are
not more than thirty years old. Tba rnars
elephant has 70 be chained hand and foot
in very truth for all four feet are con
fined On seeing him In this state the
question naturally arises. how does he lay
down TO sleep? The keeper replies that
he never lies down al night. but sleeps
standing In his tracks, leaning against tha
great stone wall at his side The other
elephant Is allowed more liberty. Only
one foot IL chained 10 the floor iH F'r
case. She is milder in her disposition and
very fond OF her keeper, who thinks Moth
ing Of going inside 70 her whenet"T '''
occasion demands. Unlike the rGiEOreT1s.
the elephants have good memories ana .
great deal Of intelligence Pete they 7fy.
does not know anybody, not even Hei'-
keeper ManlcY.
The oldest animal on record A. the no
was a poll parrot named 'trOckef. ii'
died in 1881, after enjoying the hetplaHS
of the Geological Society In the dtcHn.hS
years OF his lie Tor a period ot ti+.+. '...-..
happy wears he was a talker rom away
back. although not Of the female geH9'T.
which rule does not appear 70 hold gopd
among parrots. lie landed n AmtIl'd ..
1906 and held sweet converse win ne pa
tients In the pOrteTs lodge or me rom
sylvania Hospital for seventy years r1lH
observation he knew every a4.mrht ti-a-
flesh is heir 10. but by good fortune RI
kept his health unlmpa'feq. "I-h ~
British burned Washington. ,rp.hr'
heard them talking about II IN ne Als-
pitaI. and no doubt expressed h-s s5l--
pathy over the sad event. ln 30 ~ p
came the property OF one Mai-.t b, ". w..
kept an instrument store ou Ienit
below Chestnut, and In l'9l "t'h Aa
deirs died. he came 70 the 100 - '-4.-
the other parrots how to "a. X. iiH 80
became the fayOrlte Of all the ",..~ ~
itors at the gardens. who listened =. Ls
conversation with a great fea. x -f-
tatIon ard rewarded him bounu,--y W"
crackers
The parrot has been discoyeref - ne ~
exceedingly long-liyed bird TIE Iras..
so much Is known about mem ls h~-@
they have been made pets Or ara
lived closely associated with hama,u
ings. The noted African eZploref -.
b0ldt. recorded an instance % I4,'
which he found in ,ls posse
old native tribe, that spoke the .ti9-As
OF an extinct race. Such an ina',
indeed a satire on tho longevity %
lind