The times., 1901-06-09
PRIVATE ZOOS A FAD IN LONDON
The Fancy Proves Profitable to wild
Animal Hunters.


The Fancy Proves Profitable to wild
Animal Hunters.
From the London Mail.)
Can l sell you a nice little armadillo,
sir? They re great favorites now, and
the price OF that armor- plated beauty is
only &3. Or If You prefer something
hyena. We call him Dan Leno. Ten
pounds is the price. Listen to linn laugh.
it's quite catching. isn't it?"
And the man who daily sells wild and
fearsome beasts as placidly as if he sold
tea and sugar chuckled In sympathy with
the snarling. Rtbbering brute that showed
its teeth between the bars of the cage.
The Daily Mali representative was not
buying hyenas that morning.
This attempted deal" took place at one
Of four private ZOOS in London, where
the animal lover may purchase as do
mestic pet almost anything that craWls
crteps, or flies For 225 down and the
balance on delivery he can have full
fedged rhinoCeroS capable of demOliShlnS
a fairly sized jerry-built villa, or he can
stock the fountain basin on his lawn with
young aIligators, which at l5s. each are
regarded as extremely cheap today
The man who dislikes his next-door
neighbOr can derive satisfaction and
amusement by allowing a few Indian py-
thcus to roam about promiscuously. Six
feet of python are obtainable for &2. In
the capacity Of peacemaker and healer Of
| be invaluable in the suburbs.
As a matter Of fact, many suburban res
idents would be astonished If they only
knew what strange visitors they stand In
danger OF meeting some dark evening. 1t
was only the other day that lady bought
a bear in the Ratclin Highway and had II
sent to her suburban home in large
wooden case labeled, Glass. This side
up, with care.
Then there is gentleman IN the High
| bury district who keeps four or five diff
ferent kinds Of lemurs, while until quite
recently young man who occupied a fat
/ in another suburb kept leopard. which
used TO run about the rooms and curl It
self up on his knees ike an oVeTgroWn
! cat That leopard is now no more. II was
accidentally suffOcated, but the residents
OF the fat now breathe with more freedom
than they did before.
Pumas are the favorite pets of a Ken
sinGton lady, whose name and address
are withheld at the wish Of the dealer
who supplies the animals. The puma is a
sleek, soft-treading, dangerous and des-
perate creature, resembling the liOnesS.
He likes sheep, and has been known 10
Kill fifty in one night. The same lady has
small leopard. Kensington should be-
ware
The taste for curious animals as family
! pets IS spreading rapidly, and the four
emporiums which make speciality of
supplying them-Whiteley's in West
! bourne Grove. GreeueS, in COvcnt Car
( den; Jamrach's. in the Ratclin Highway,
/ and Zache's, in Great Portland Street
are constantly sending to private houses
weird-lookiHg creatures from all parts OF
/ the world.
| Only last week an elderly gentleman of
means. who has a large house between
| Rlchmond and Twickenham, took home
/ In cigar box a specimen of that (haUpilyl
| seldgm-scen mOnStrOsity, the "horrid
moloch. Something Ike a lizard in
shape, this appropriately christened rep
/ tile is studded with spike-like protuber-
/ ances which somehow suggest a knight
! OF Old, armed cap-d-pie The buyer die not
gruTnble at having TO pay al for his
/ pet"
The terboa is a rather pretty little ami
nal which now roams about scores of
West End and suburban houses He has
! the head of a small rabbit and the body
| of a diminutive kangaroo. His forelegs
are short almost to the vanishing point,
while his hind legs are absurdly long.
! Upon the latter he hops about the house
/ with amazing energy, and his favorite
| amusement is breaking costly china. Jer-
/ bOas are selling at 81.
! Mr. Jamrach has lately come into pos
! session Of an animal which, despite his
! lifelong experience, he has never seen be
/ fore and cannot Identify. lie consulted
| the famous naturalist who created the
ZOO" at Tring Park, but neither could he
/ give the animal a name. What is it?
! Is something like a squirrel and is yet not
| q squirrel In fact, up TO the present II Is
! nothing more than What is it?'
! For some unaccountable reason the 81
berian nutcracker is becoming bird pet
! ALT lOuRh ne Is not particularly ndnOSoIlt
and costs Els. For another so one can
/ get gorgeous macaw with a 24-inch tail
| that rivals the hues of the rainbow.
But, after all, mere outward appear
ances are oftentimes deceptive, even In
| bird life The ether day an ornamental
| paru quet at one OF the private ZOOS Will
/ fuuv and deliberately murdered his wife
/ This dreadful bird is blaze Of green
| gold. red, and blue, with bright. chirpy
| manner an honest eye and open couute-
nance And yet after a slight domestic
| quarrel he most foully slew his heip-
! matel Worse stiu, he manifests not the
| slightest sign of sorrow or repentance
Who will buy him for &c?
| other out-of- -the-way pets that are be
| ing sold just now lnclude the kea, a plio
! Which appears TO be afflicted with ST
! Vitus' dance and could, no doubt, be
taught TO play at skipping rope with thI
children. His price Is only - os. BlaGb
| Uamas are fetching E25, Jral Owls tlo
| Japauese bears SO polecats mot in great
deinaud G2 dog-faced monkeys C3, Chi
| nose mocting birds 95 young boas tnui
for wear) 3Os., ana "hltt fersldH ca'S
| Rut The most expensive pet Of all, foi
his size. is the white mouse-that pretty
timid little creature Whch SehtIaHy llNes
on crumbs in school boys pockets ma
! Lind Of white mouse costs no more thar
! about "a penny, but a certain KIND OF Whlt'
! mouse is valued at $50, because 1t Is strip
ed like d zebra and has omen pecullaritle'
! that render II cheap III Ii' eyes Oh Judge
| at E3 an ounce.
with the spread of the taste for strang'
and curious pets has come a correspond
ing diversity in the character of the four
footed passengers in London streets
Last summer II was common Slght Il
sec in The West End ladies leading little
Iemurs or baby pumas along the streets
in the same way that they lead pet dogs
| This summer 1t is probable that the spec
tacIa will become still more common
| Judging from the number Of orders re
ceived at the various depots for baby pet!
of this description. The lerboa Is anoth
streets. where its antics naturally create
nat a little amusement. Full-grown ami
mails OF n dangerous type have not yet Oh
tanned the liberty of the footpath, but per
hans they will do 50 some day, and Lon
don Will in one respect at least, be re
miniscent Of primitive times.