The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-06-10
GEOLOGICAL PARKS SHOW.
ZINE COLLECTION or ANIMALS AL
HOST ~ 4 STATE or NATURE.
Place u Somewhat on the beaten Track. bat
Nay lie Reached Easily and II PAYS 10 20
Thsre-WhAt May Be Seen Already sport
i've Character Of Some OF the Animals.

VuuN nay ~ SNN" =
i've Character OF SOM OF the Animals.
Far up toward into the centre OF that terra
incosnita. known 10 the citiiied New Yorker
- the Annexed District, where there IL virgin
forest Inhabited by the squirrel. the raccoon
end the skunk, the New York Geological Society
hss established it's Geological Park and has now
GOT 1t fairly going. In that great PARK WIN
ia winding roads. its rocky hills and It's groves
ND thickets there Is room for half the popula-
ton OF the city without crowdinG. and 1t Is there
for the benefit OF the population. On only two
days Of the week, Mondays and Thursdays, Is
there any charge for admittance; the rest of
he week the park and all that in 1t lies IL a big
frss show. involving no more outlay than the
earfare TO get there and back. eight cents each
vay. Since the first Of January about a quarter
Of a million visitors have been TO the park: the
Geological Society would be glad to have the
remainder Of the ~populace Of the city and all
The stranRers within her gates come during the
eest of the year.
Nobody can soc this show without taking at
last half a day. and the longer half at that.
Cor not only does II take some time TO get there.
but after arriving there Is so much to sec that
the visitor will be torn with diverse interests,
uplese he has two or three good hours ~ his
disposal. In the nature Of things q geological
mark must be In some comparatively unfre-
ouented spot. and this one In pretty well out
of the world In a city where the trolley comes
20 almost everybody's front door. One may
ret to the park either by taking the railroad
10 Fordh am station and assiduously asking his
way on the walk across or bv going to INN
atreet by the Third Avenue Elevated road and
there taking n fremont trolley car across 10
the Boston road, -Four blocks up tho Boston
road is the entrance to the park.
1t Is a rather tedious journey. but the results
are fully worth It. For this Ia the real thing
In an animal show. Never was there circus
or menagerie to compare with II. Here the
animals are In their own environment. con-
fined. OF course. but not Gagged. and here they
live their own lives in peace and cheeriulness
The difference In aspect and behavior between
these creatures and the furtive-eyed. restless.
unhappy denlzens OF the menageries Is the
difference between a States prison convict In
his cell and the man who walks by on the out
side whistling as he goes about his daily bust
ness. There are some few exceptions; the
wolves, for instance. which carry In their shaggy
breasts the spirit of savage discomfort. but the
wolf is a morose creature at best, even in the
freedom of his own forests: and there is a build
ing In which some Of the small animals. who
couldn't we'll be exposed TO the open air in this
climate, such as the ooelots and the monkeys.
are kept. Their air of lassitude and boredom
forms so striking a contrast 10 the bearing OF
the frisking inhabitants Of the reservations
outside that one ia inclined to wish that they
weren't there at all.
Generally speaking the park Is an exhibit OF
North American animals. though there are
q number of outsiders. but the prime Idea Of
the society IL TO show the people OF this city
what kind Of animals live In this country OF
ours. On entering from the Boston road side
the first exhibit that one sees is the buffalo range.
where a large herd OF bu1aloes live a life OF
ease, and plenty. Scattered over the hills or
half hidden in the thick coverts or nxuriously
wallowing in the marshy hollows. or browsing
on the rich grass Of tho levels. they seem to
be having the best kind of a time. In the fore
ground stands Il big bull with his attendant
satellites in the form Of three cowbirds whose
business 1t is to destroy any impudent fies
that may attempt to poster his majesty. and
incidentally to make a full meal thereof.
Around the several races of the range stretch
two woven Wire fences eight feet higl and five
feet apart. Should one OF the big Dulls De-
come angry and attempt to gain his freedom
be might vel 9reak }hroug bo ,ha ~ hrse , ISnS &C.
DO cdt up and hurt that IL would discourage him
from making a like assault upon the second
iine Of defence. None Of the herd has tried
II vet, nor l. there any probability Of such an
attempt, as the bufaloes are too well of and
TOO well contented with their surroundings TO
wish 10 change them for evils they know not of.
Further along the main walk are the large
deer, each species having is own roomy range.
At present there l. no, prong-horned antelope,
the society having had bad luck with thi! shy
md delicate animal. Several specimens have
been Installed In the range, but dysentery.
70 which this species is very prone, killed them
are expected soon. The caribou are good
specimens and have become 80 bold that they
walk up to the wire netting and examine the
moose. These are rather dignifed and re-
served animals and they care little for the vul:
Gar. crowd. keeping away from the walks and
kneeling on their front knees for the purpose.
To see three or four OF the huge creatures in
. line, all apparently at their devotions, Is a
iine condition and when they feel sportive
they run races and play tag all over the PLACE,
smaller deer and antelope, their ranges being
In those parts ofthe park where there are
thickets, as they are still rather shy and love
In a great circular. plot Of ground. Sc 'urely
fenced In lives IN a big, colony Of prairie dogs.
probably the clumsiest creatures in the world
In, their wild stgte they are shy fellows and
will pop into their burrows at the first, alarm
Uut, nhVlnR become UCCllStOineu 10 the Hufnhn
species. they have acquired the sang froid. OF
the street Ramin and they will come scrambling
10 the wire to look ut you, with a kind Of mine
ing trot before and a ridiculous waddle be-
hind, and sit upon their hind legs and eH-
change derisive comments In subdued but
mirthful gatherings upon your personal APP
pearance. They. appear 10 have a language
their methods, Of communication. One Of
them who has been sitting doing nothing will
not unlike the whistle of a naphtha
launch. and Immediately another in a far corner
will pop upon his hind legs and ans wer
burrow and the second will squeal and be an
swered by n third. and so Il will go for perhaps
two minutes. when all will lapse into silence
in a tree that almost overhangs the colony
lives a squirrel. with whom the prairie dogs
have n feud, From time to time the squirrel
will come out and proceed 10 deride his rodent
cousins upon their %ungainly. gait. and earthly
habits. meantime whisking briskly about the
branches and chattering remarks As to the
delights OF freedom. Some old prairie dog
will then sit ny and and address that squire
eolemnly, calling to his attention the fact thai
he has to hustle for u living while they have
food served 10 them by polite and careful
and Try 1t. But the tree-dweller knows toe
much TOR that and jabbers out. "Wouldn'
you like to get me there2 You wouldn't de-
q thing 10 mo. would your" or words to tina
effect. and then all the other prairie dogs chime
IN and there is a regular ~slanging match bach
squirrel heard dlmly every now and ther
through the unceasing. voneys OF squeal'
from the enclosure. Many visitors get a.
far rs the prairie dogs and never go any fur
ther. but stand there and watch until the had
hour before sunset when the park closes