Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-01-01

BATHING AT THE ZOO.
The Elephant, the Elk and the Chi
panzee Fond of Water.


The Elephant, the Elk and the Chin
panzee Fond of Water. 4
The quip of the old author who says
that the difference between civilized
and unciyilized men lies in the fact that
the former bathes and the latter does
not. has long been disproved by fact.
But if the difference of a bath made
the civilized man. the Zoo contains a
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-
plant, for instance. 1t rejoices in a
huge tank sunk in the ground. to 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 battle. He's too fierce, wild
and untractable to be let out of his
cage. SO they keep him securely chain
ed. 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
battles in the tank. Her joy is simply
unmeasured
When she does bathe the trumpeting
the splashing, the squirting of water
out of her trunk on her back and TANKS.
are simply prodigious. It's the sight
of the Gay-but anyone getting toe near
may be drenched. That doesn't reaze
the elephant. She's there to battle. and
battle she does.
The crowd watches in Amusement.
Elephants. as is well known. do not lie
down. even to battle, 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 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 cut and watch the
old one enjoy himself. AS he is liable
of a warm day to stay in the tank from
dewy morn to dewy 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 a chance on his
nose. The rest Of the elk family have
to fight the flies as best they may.
The cEmpanzee, 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
moorings altogether Nowadays. his
keeper, Murray, gives him a sponge
bath every afternoon, which is simply
Billy's chief delight. When he feels
the sponge he closes his eyes and smiles
and expresses his qualification in low
snorts and whistles.
The alligators 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 tn r bathing may be by force Of
habit Ihe persistent indulgence in
water baths alternated by sun baths
may account for their good health, for
so far as known they never die nat
ural death.
The peIicans. storks. swans. ducks
cranes. and other like birds are fond of
the water. as every one Knows. The
pelicans. cranes, ard 5torks stand and
wade in it knee deep. with one leg
drawn up and one eye closed. Just why
this one-sided ha bit 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 Philadelphia
Times
Wien a preacher gets 50 that he can
scoId bis congregation as flercely as q
man scolds his wife, he is in training
TO become an evangelist.