Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-10
ANIMALS AS FIGHTERS.
Who Would Survive If They All Bat
tied to the Death.


From the London Express.
Supposing all the animals in the Zoo
at Regents Park were to begin a fight to
the death, who would be the ultimate VIC
ter?
well-known animal dealer votes for the
elephant. which he calls the J. L. Sullivan
OF beasts. His trunk Is his weapon. and
he is the hardest hitter with 1t of all the
animals. Furthermore he cores with lis
mighty tusks and trampes beneath his
huge feet his daring adversary. In fight
between tiger and an elephant. the latter
has trunk. tusks and feet in play. while
''strpies" relies for offense and defense on
his powerful claws and teeth.
A sporting writer would call the tiger
whirlwind fighter. He Is very light on his
feet. and his impetuous rush needs clever
withstanding With his heavy paw his
favorite stroke is lightning downward
punch. With all his cleverness. he soon
tires If he meets a tough adversary.
The same remarks apply to the lions
style of fighting, though Leo has generally
more grit than friend Stripes. and will last
longer in a conflict. Still. in lion-and-
tiger fight one would hardly back Leo, for
he is generally several stones lighter than
the gentleman from Bengal. And 1t is gen.
orally admitted among students OF the
fistic art that "a good big one e., is better
calls IAN interesting eastern potentate'
often has hon pitted against tiger in the
wild beast fights with which he begulles
his leisure, and almost invariably is the
king of beasts subjected to iSnomniouS
knockout.
The speciality Of the giraffe is his enor-
nous reach. He can deliver nasty punch
with his forelegs. and Is not above biting
his opponent when opportunity offers. An
other long-range fighter Is the deer, who
Is also very swift in his movements. Be
sides the quick punch with the forefoot. be-
ware the sharp horns when you take on
Brer Deer. The buffalo, though his pet
weapon is his great iron-clad head. Is also
good at long swinging blow with the fore
foot.
The grizzly bear Is formidable foe. He
can punch like no other animal save the ell
epbant-one blow Of his stupendous paw Will
break horses back-and when ne ciinches
to avoid punishment his hug Will crush any
thing living. Besides this. nothing can
break his pluck. He will fight as long as
he can see or stand, and he Is a glutton for
punishment. None of the cat tribe could
stand a tenth OF the pounding which the
grizzly takes without turning hair. AS
an offset to the useful qualities have emu,
merated, the bear Is slow on MS 1eet' ana
his eye Is not good. The snake is about the
cruelest of fighters; he has not the advan-
tage Of legs, but he Is armed with the dead
Hest poison, and once he has wound MIN
self round his adversary's body one swnt
movement Of the head enables MIN to bite
his victim.
The tr1ckiest fighter is our colonial friend.
Uncle kangaroo. He bites when ne can'
and his powerful hindlegs and tai are USE
full for lodging. The opponent who gets
one of his forefoot blows seldom requires
another, and straight kick from him Will
rip a horse or another large animal wide
open He also IS fond OF hugging, anu
when pursued by dogs will take the falth.
full friend of man to his bosom in fervent
embrace that is generally fatal.
Thus though each Of the beasts mas mis-
own specialties in the way Of fighting, we
have to come to the conclusion that either
the elephant or the bear would wear the
belt in a general fight among the happy
family Of Regents Park