The Washington times., 1901-09-08
BATHING DAY AT THE zoo.
The Elephant and the Elk Fond of
the Water.


The quip of the old author who says
that the difference between civilized and
uncivilized men lies in the fact that tbs
former bathes and the latter does not. has
long been disproved by fact. But If the
difference of bath made the civilized
man. the Zoo contains a number of ami
mails who can fairly claim the benefit OF
the Observation-Disclosures it makes them
civilized is not altogether clear. There is
| the elephant, for instance. 1t rejoices in
huge tank sunk in the ground, to which
an incline is sunk, and wherein the pach-
| yderm may enjoy itself. There are two
elephants at the Zoo, but the bigger
doesn't bathe. He's too fierce. wild and
untractable to be let out of his cage. Sc
they keep him securely chained, and
when he needs a bath the hose is turned
on him. The female, quiet beast of
pleasant manners. saunters forth every
afternoon in summer and bathes in the
tank Her joy is simply unmeasured.
When she does bathe. the trumpeting,
the splashing the squirting of the water
out of her trunk on her back and fanks.
are simply prodigious. It's the sight of
the day-but anyone getting too near may
be drenched. That doesn't feaze the eie-
phant She's there to bathe. and battle
she does.
The crowd watches in amazement.
Elephants. as is well known. do not lie
down. even to bathe. and the Zoo ele-
phant is no exception. She stands up and
swashes about, acting as her own show
err bath. and making the most of her op-
portunities.
The male elk is another bather. on a
long and protracted basis. There is
tank in the elk enclosure into which wa
ter constantly flows. 1t is not large
tank and when the male elk gets into it.
there isn't much room for anything else,
so the females and the little elks are
forced to stay out and watch the old one
enjoy himself. AS he is liable OF warm
day to stay in the tank from the dewey
morn to dewey eve, the others get theirs
in watching.
When thus enjoying himself, the elk is
frequently submerged. except his horns,
which are wide, and his nostrils. They
say his object is to avoid the flies, which
can't bite his horns very well. and don't
have much of chance on his nose. The
rest of the elk family have to fight the
flies as best they may.
The chimpanzee. Billy gets sponge
bath daily. The heat of July was few
too many for Billy. who had been reared
in the comparative chill OF Central Afri-
ca, and he had to be put on ice TO keep
him from slipping to his earthly moorings
altogether. Nowadays. his keeper. Muir
ray. gives him a sponge bath every aft
ernoon, which is simply Billys chief de-
light. When he feels the sponge, he
closes his eyes and smiles and expresses
his qualification in low snorts and whis-
ties.
The alIigators and crocodiles being by
nature very fond of bathing, divide their
time between lying in the water, with
their mouths open, and lying on the
ground with their mouths open. They are
not expressive of countenance and their
bathing may be by force of habit The
persistent indulgence in water baths al
ternated by sun baths may account for
their good health, for so far as known.
they never die a natural death.
The pelcans, storks,' swans, ducks,
cranes, and other like birds are fond of
the water. as every one knows The pc
licans, cranes. and storks stand and wade
in II knee deep. with one leg drawn up
and one eye closed. Just why this one
sided habit is not known, even to natu-
ralists.
The polar bear, not having any icebergs
on hand. takes 1t out in water, which he
leaves long enough to eat, and take an
occasional nap. His feelings during the
recent hot spell may be conjectured.-