The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-08-03

contains more than half hundred inter.
esung animals,9not to mention the MYRIAD
u snowy nsh or the many specimens of the
olru kingdom Practically all are the gifts
VI houston people and the collection Is be
ing rapidly added to and In time will rival
'he Zoo gardens of larger cities.
Tue student OF natural history might very
prontably put In hours at the cages study.
ing the daily behavior and characteristics
OF the occupants There is so much TO
snow that natural histories can not begin
to tell 1t all. keen eye and n sharp
WIZ may gain more by few hours associa.
tioh with these pent up creatures OF nature
'nan volumns Of print will tell.
Tnere Is romance, tragedy and comedy.
oy turns and at times blended In these
cages, states Mr. Hughie McIiver ths
custodian of the ZOO
M, McLiver has made life long study
y W. ,ne business he Is following. For three
ysaL 49,. ahu nan he was one OF the animal
StenaerS IN the great geological garden In
1Ientral park, New York. Just before Quit.
t ing ms post there he recalls with sorrow
liz Ie 1 I, th9t oefell one of his companions.
iie was done TO death by nm unruly ele-
plait, being mashed dat by one OF the mon
steers huge shoulders against a wall He
, Jus had charge Of the local zoo from the
time 1t was founded some three wears ago
Mt McLiver takes the greatest Interest
In his animal family, He seems 70 love
mem all very much. He has naue for
eaen and they instantly recognize his voice
from the thousands OF others who visit
the grounds. There are none he does not
I1ndle and haldle, with the single excep-
ton OF the nlnefoot alligator that could
snap on hand as easily as 1t takes In ZEN
pounds of beef neck at q gulp. Most OF the
,inle Ne Is nursing one or more invalids and
ne talks TO them and cares for them much
as a mother does an aillng babe
y NRn 80 -. L..
tender called Come Buck, Dick Nan"
The two splendid young bucks came trot-
ting 20 the fence and with them Nan and
other does. They poked tholr glossy black
ressed
Buck and two of the does were presents
from Mr.. John House and were raised ON
his plantation in the San Jacinto bottoms
Mrs G x. Cummings was the donor OF
DICK. There are now two sturdy young
sters. born In the yard, each months old.
A third and sickly one expired few days
ago. Mr.. McLlJer observes that the antlers
are sure index to the age OF backs, the
same ms rattles are to the rattle snake.
The left peak counts one year and every
prong that grows on 1t another. There is
always one more prong or aEtler on the
right peak than on the left and IL counts
for six additional months. Billy, the Young
est buck, Is the most active. Flat footed
he will vault the sevcn-foot fence with
case. For This reason he wears a collar
and sometimes n weight Is strapped to II.
Alfalfa hay ard chops are their food ex-
cont when oak leaves fall The leaves they
Ike best and nre their hest food The
average life Of the deer is fifteen years.
A long white haired. frisky nannic yoat
Is a companion Of the deer. II ~ of the
AngorR species aud prize. 1t was pre-
scented by Mrs. b. Rcpsdorph, who prr-
chased II n year ago for n charitable pur-
pose a wee cast of babe had been dis
covered IN the grass along one OF the
streets IN the Fair Grounds addition and
kind hearted ladies attempted to raise Il.
The mamie furnished milk for while hut
the baby WAS too weak to live and the Inc
Angora after the infants death took up
residence In the park zoo.
PARK TRAGEDY.
A tragedy took place two weeks ago
prairie dog village and there was Willing
and Borrowing for days. Two of the under
ground homes caved In and Killed I'VE
Young ones, the first born In the village.
full little creatures. Twelve Of them were
brought from the Indian Territory by air.
Terry and presented by him. Eleven bur,
rowed several hundred feet ana escaped
beyond the park incosure and were lost.
There now remains nine. Their viihee Is
now undcraid with n cement formation
folr feet under the surface ana they are
thus kept within limits. Mr.. McEiver oh-
serves that in real prairie dog Villages thcre
is always one well. They will co hundreds
OF feet for water. But one well VIII 10 a
whole colony. Tic Dclici some entertain
TINT the animals live without water ls at
course not true. They find 1t even on the
drvest desert 4 bounty was once PAID for
killing these animals In some Of the West
ern States. hut not now. The dogs ire
death to pny crop that may be plan,ed
where they exist They feed on tondeE
roots and arc devastatorr ot vegitauon IN
some sections the animals are regarded ms
good food. and are freely eaten.
ono of the most interesting, specimens N
the garden IS a lonesome and eyer,restless
onirtoI that Is said to he combination
Of mnskrat, kangaroo and rabbit i Is
native of Central America and Is called 10y
Mr. McLiver Central American rahnlt OF
more properly cirkey. Inc amman nus