The sun., 1900-12-23
THE POLAR BEARS BATH.
winter Tubing In the Park Followed by Erer-
else Grizzlies Bsthe, Too.

The bear Dit up on the hli In the Central
Park iaenacerie is dviLcd into two sections
by high fence OF stout iron bars. In one
division the polar bears live and In the other
tic grizZ.ies At tho back of the pit there
are two caves one in each division. That
IN the grizzlies section Is blasted cut Of tie
solid rock which rises at tie LICK Of tie III
II u hei ight of fifteen or twenty ;eet. Tho
cave Of the polar bears ia formed by broad
deep slab Of stone placed across over niche
In the rock. These caves ore in reality simply
deep, well-sheltered reoesses In which the
bear, lie down for protection from the heat
IN summer q, d from the cod In winter. though
FOR that Iu0tter the cold does not much trou-
lie thcn. the roaTs. indeed, may sometimes
I'm winter he seen stretched out fat ond COM
forra'ie on the roof Of their cave. lying down
In tie snos.
sunk in the floor Of the hear rit. near the
front. is masonry tank perhaps eisht feet
lon, By four wide and two and half feet
deep Tho fence which divides the pit into
two sections likewise divides tho tank. Thus
half the tank is in tho polar bears side Of the
pit aud half Of 1t is in the grizzlies. The
water in IL is ALWAYS kept running.
There are In the pit two polar bears and
two grizzlies The older and larger Of the
two polars ha. been here now upward Of
fifteen Years He Is hiE. fine Gear. though
10 does now and then suffer somewh at from
rheumatism and is not SO spry as he once
was lie doesn't Ike 70 exert himself very
much and does not often baine In the winter
The younger POLAR, however. takes ba tbs
all throus sh the winter. let a fine day drop
In, one comparatively mild. and that day the
young !. 'ar takes Il bath. For instance he
took bath on one Of the mild days last week.
and however the bear h!sht haNe regaroed
It, as something taken for pleasure or COM
fort or for his health. tie bath in this instance
''I' ~ 'o' 80. t,, - NJ
certainly improved MS appearance Inc
young bear had been pretty dirty from ub-
hIn. arou,d an tho rocks and dirt that Iine
'''" " =, :, ~. ,
moro OF !ess ci 'he pi'. Inc water cieahed
this of and he o'me out white again.
t', - u..lLs No, "a ,ar,
and this YOUNG oc'r Walks back ana lor th
from the end Of tn" tank 20 the rocky side of
the pit. Tho tit ~ In tact, for Considerah Bile
part Il II blasted out of the rock, and that
rocky side wall comes down pretty nenry
to the front Of the pit. The bars along that
slao are set In holes drilled in this rock. back
a little from the edge So that there IA shelf
or !cd.c q rock slopinC from the 'front.' up
ward TO the back A. the point at which The
bear striNcs 1t in walking back and forth
from the tank this ledge is almost twice the
he!rht of the bears shoulder.
The floor ot the pit around the tank is wet
with water that til" bear has swashed over
on IT, hut tn" bear isn't n particle disturbed
bv this he isn't bit afraid Of getting his
feet wet. lie starts from the tank and walks
over 10 the wall, only little distance half
= dozen short steps, and 'h"n he backs down
to the tank. lie goes forward to the wall
again. aud hacks to the tank again. and docs
this forward and back movement over and
over again: ana ANYBODY standing watching
tho hear now is sire TO get an impression
thnt he IS getting ready to iump up on the
ledge ! his Is really what happens. Nj
% a sudden on one 81 those returns to the
rock and without anv acccleration of his
sneed, and anrarentlv without nnv unusual
rock twice his on height. TO land securely