The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1902-02-27
BATHING The 700.
The Elephant, the Elk and the Chin
pauzee Fond of Water.


The Elephant, the Elk and the Chin
pauzee Fond of Water.
The quip eff the old Author who says
that the difference between civilized
aud nneivilized men lies IN the fact that
the former hafhes and the latter does
not. has long been disproved by fact.
Rut ii the difference of 4 bath made
the civilized man. the Zoo contains Il
number of animals who can fairly
claim the benefit of the distinction
whether it makes them civilized is not
altogether clear. There is the ele-
phant, for instance II reioices in
huge tank sunk in the ground, 70 which
an incline is sunk, and wherein the
pachyderm may enjoy itself. There are
two elephants at the Zoo but the big
ger doesn't bathe Hes too fierce. Wild
and untraetahle to be let out Of his
cage. So they keep him securely chain
ed and when he needs bath the hose
is turned on him. The female, Il quiet
beast Of pleasant manners, saunters
forth every afternoon IN summer and
bathes in the tank. Her joy IS simply
unmeasured.
When she does battle. the trumpetlng,
the splashing. the squirting Of water
out OF her trunk on her back and banks,
are simply prodigious. It's the sight
of the day-but anyone getting too near
may be drenehed That doesn't feaze
the elephant. She's there. TO battle, 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-
plant Is no exception. She stands up
and swashes about, acting as her own
shower bath. and making the most OF
her opportunities.
The male elk is another bathef, on
long and profraeted basis. There IL
tank in the elk Enclosure into which wa
I ter constantly flows L Is not 4 large
tank and when the male elk gets INTO
Il, there isn't much room for anything
else, SO the females and the little eilSs
are forced to stay ont and watch the
old enc enjoy himself As he Is liable
Of a warm dag 10 stay in the tank from
dewy morn TO dewy eve. the others get
theirs Ia watching.
When thus enjoying himself. the elk
Is frequently submerged, except bis
horns. which are wide, and his nostrils.
They say his object is TO avoid the dies,
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 files as best they may.
The ehlmpanzee, Billy. gets a sponge
bath daily. The heat Of July was few
too many for Billy, who had been rear
ed in the comparative chill OF Central
Africa. and he had TO be put on Ice to
/ keep him from slipping his earthly
I moorings altogether Nowadays. bis
keeper, Murray, gives him a sponge
bath every afternoon, which Is simply
Rniy's chief delight. When he feels
\ the sponge he closes his eyes and smiles
and expresses his qualification in low
snorts and whistles.
The alllgators and eroeodiles. being
by nature very fond Of bathing, divide
their time between lying in the water
with their mouths open and lying on
the grousd 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 alternated by sun baths
may account for their good health, for
so far as known they never die a nat
ural death
The pelleans. storks, swans, ducks,
cranes. and other like birds are fond OF
the water. as every one knows. The
pelicans, cranes. and sterks stand and
wade IN It knee deep. with one leg
drawn up and one eye closed Just why
this one-sided habit IS not known, even
to naturalists.
The polar bear, not having any Ice
bergs on hand. takes It out In water
which he leaves long enough to eat, and
take an occasional nap.-Philadelphia
Times