Evening star., 1901-01-05
HOW WILD ANIMALS SLEEP
THEIR HABITS STUDIED AT NIGHT
INA MENAGERIE.
Natural Instincts Are Preserved In
Captfvfty-EFect of Darkness Upon
Them-Startled by n Flash.

| SaptiNtty-Euect or Darkness Upon
Them-startIed by n Flash.
From the New York Evening Post.
The students of animals in search OF in
| formation concerning the habits of wild
beasts might travel around the globe before
finding better opportunities to study the
fierce creatures of jungle and prairie than
| right here in the heart of New York. 1t
| might be argued in defense OF the dangers
courted by the naturalist who seeks the
| wild animals in their natural haunts that
the creatures are never the same In captive
| ity, and the data derived from close obser.
! walton of a menagerie of animals would
hardly apply to the wild creatures in their
| natural habitat; but the study of the ami
mails in captivity furnishes a great deal Of
information.
When night falls the inhabitants of the
| woods and jungles undergo a change. The
great night prowlers yawn and stretch their
| limbs and emit howls and screeches that
startle the echoes of the forest. The shy.
| timid creatures huddle closer together OIL
| the tree limbs or burrow in their holes IN
| the ground or rotten tree trunk to hide from
| their natural enemies. They know from in
| stinct and experience that the great animal
| hunters are abroad and from the intense
darkness of the woods great hulking form
may at any moment dart forth upon them
| So these timid little animals and birds
| huddle together and sleep with one eye
| open. 1t would be counting danger to slum-
ber otherwise, and scarcely can twig
| snap or a leaf fall from the tree without at
| tracing their attention.
In captivity these peculiar characteristics
of the wild animals and birds are not en-
tirely lost. In fact, some Of them are so
fixed in the very nature Of the creatures
| that they are handed down for several gen.
erations to those born in captivity. 1t is
undoubtedly true that continued captivity
gradually blunts and dulls the keen instincts
and hunting and fighting intelligence OF the
wild forest inhabitants. The power with
which the creatures resist this leveiing In
f1uence of captivity is much greater in some
cases than in others. and 1t would seem as
If they would never grow accustomed TO
their new kind of life or lose the keen
senses which nature gave to them.
Instincts Asserted at Night.
This difference in the animals is particu-
larly noticeable in the creatures Of the Gen.
| trail Park menagerie or at the Bronx 70
illogical Garden. Because Of the more con-
fined quarters of the former there is better
opportunity to study the animals at night
time. Then 1t is that primal instincts as
sert themselves. Oftentimes the new cap
tive which remained dull and dormant
through the quiet hours OF the day will
rouse itself and become as bold, daring and
crafty in the dark. The staring crowds OF
visitors through the long day intimidated 1t,
but now, under the sheltering darkness OK
night. it becomes again the ferocious beast
of prey, and with the odor OF other animals
filing the menagerie its hunting spirit be-
comes dominant. For a long time 1t may
lay stretched on the bottom Of the cage,
with ears and eyes alert watching and lis
tening eagerly for strange sounds or noises.
Many times a new occupant of the menage-
rie has made the nights hideous for weeks
at time by Its Outcries and restless walk
ing up and down.
Great care is taken both at the Zoo and
the park meneGerie not to frighten the
animals after dark, and all spectators are
turned away before sundown. Then the
animals are given their evening meal, ana
this induces them to 60 to sleep peacefully.
just now while in their winter quarters the
animals retire early. 1t Is dark in the
menagerie houses by $50, and by 6 most
of the creatures have finished their even
ing meals. and are spread out for their
nights rest All is quiet in the great
cages. The lions and tigers stretch them
selves out fiat on their cage floors, showing
the same Indifference to danger that they
do in the jungle, and their slumbers are
usually heavy and peaceful. Recently an
attempt made to take flash-light pic
lures of the sleeping animals In the menag-
erie, and the sudden flash OF light SO DIS
turbed them that in few moments half
Of them were roaring or screeching in their
cages. The lions and tigers alone seemed to
sleep through the tumult apparently un-
mindful or unconscious OF the whole noise
There is nothing odd peculiar about the
sleep of the tigers or lions. and even in the
day time they may frequently De founu
slumbering in their cages
Bears Heavy Sleepers.
The bears are also heavy slespers. but
they are less disposed to seek slumber In
the day time, although occasionally they
will curl up and rest. The big grizzly bears
in the outside cages in the park invariably
curl up under the rocks which supply them
with the only resemblance to a cave.
Sometimes they crawl up to the very top
of the rocks and with front paws spread
around the iron cage bars go to sleep IN
what seems an uncomfortable and perllous
position. But bears never relax their mus
cular grasp of any object when asleep.
The black bears Will curl up among the
branches of tree when they have the op-
portunity and go to sleep in this peculiar
position. In their native haunts this Is 4
common habit with the black bears The
Dig white polar bears of the park simply
curl themselves up on the rocky bottom OF
their outdoor cage and go to sleep without
thought of fear. They show peculiarity
in the selection Of their sleeping place
characteristic of nearly all the captive ami
mails. They select one particular corner OF
the cage for sleeping, and invariably they
seek this out for every nights rest. This
corner seems more like home to them and
they sniff around the whole cage before
they are finally satisfied that it is the right
place for their nights rest.
The high-strung, nervous animals are the
They usually belong to the hunted tribes.
whose lives are in constant danger in the
forest, and they possess such highly de-
veloped nervous system that they really
sleep with one eye open. They never seem
to lose themselves in slumber SO that an
enemy could steal upon them unawares.
The slightest noise will instantly awaken
them and even in the park menagerie this
instinct of self-preservation is clearly
shown. The prairie wolves merely seem to
close their eyes for instant, and then
open them again to if all is quiet.
Many vain efforts have been made to pho
tograph these animals by flashlight at
night time, and every time the camera re-
vealed the fact that one eye at least was
partly open. Some time ago one photogra-
pher who had secured permission to photo
graph the animals at night time waited a
full hour in breathless silence for an op-
perfume moment to photograph the prairie
wolves. When the pictures were developed
the animals had both eyes half open. Usu-
ally when noises disturb these creatures
they jump up and run around their cage, or
stand alert, ready for instant action.
Sleep Any Way They Can.
Many Of the animals in the menagerie do