The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-07-02

thing was safe and in good order. but nothing was noticed out of the way, and
 until the flames s.-pienly burst forth no one had any idea that there was the least danger or trouble at hand.
 Another curious Instance of animal in- stinct occurred in the winter of 1902-0S at Ocala. Fla. Mime. Pianka had taken her lions there to perform, and as soon as they arrived every one noticed that the
 animals, especially the lions, were rest
 less and uneasy at night, and that they behaved very strangely.
 It Is customary, soon after arriving at
 place. to turn the animals out into osthe steel arena for exercise. as. of course. 1t Is quite impossible to give them any ex- ercfse at all while on a long journey. Thc moment the lions entered the arena, in- stead of stretching themselves luxurious ly and pacing up and down in their usual manner, they stopped short, with ears
 back and noses to the ground. and com
 menced to snif in the most peculiar man. ner.
 It was impossible to rouse them up or make them move about. Each one would walk a few pacss. but always with his head bent down and sniffing the ground. When the time for the performance came on.- their behavior was still more curious. These lions were Mime. Pianka's favor ites. and as she had always been very fond of them. and had had them in train- ing for several years. she had been &C., customed to caress them. Although the majority of them took this in the grave, dignified manner peculiar to lions one or two had appeared actually to like her en- dearments. and had occasionally rubbed their huge heads against her face.
 But at this time they would not let her she must keep her distance. or 1t would be a serious matter. Neither would they perform at the accustomed words of command. Indeed, their manner grew so forbidding and dangerous that at last she dared not even go near them.
 That same night Mime. Pianka was awakened by the watchman calling to say that the lions were digging large holes in the ground, and that he thought. at the rate they were working. they would very soon dig themselves out al- together. All the assistants were called up the electric lights were turned on. and 1t was found that the lions had al ready dug holes deep enough in the earth to bury themselves
 The danger was doubly great because so unexpected. Hyenas and wolves will dig holes in the ground in this manner. but for lions to do so is almost unheard of. The lions were with great difficulty taken out of the cage. with evident re- luctance on their part, and put once more in their travelling compartments. The ground was securely battened down infectant, and sawdust.
 The following night the lions were turn ed into the arena again. but in a very short time they had scratched away the sand and sawdust and dug up the earth and it was only just in time that the lions were once more removed to their travel ing cages in exceedingly ugly and dan gerous moods
 Many solutions were offered by various people-especially by those who knew nothing whatever about animals-but no satisfactory one could be found. We thought of the change of climate, of air, scene and food. The Hons had grown ac- customed to changes of air and climate, and the food was the same kind that they had been accustomed to in captivity. We next thought of the water; but 1t was pure and good, and there seemed to be no accounting for this strange freak on the part of the animals. Had one or two shown this peculiar propensity, we should naturally have concluded that they had gone bad" but as all were doing the same thing, and two were quite young lions, this could not be the case.
 At last this was mentioned to the chief of police and one or two old residents, and we then discovered that the tent had been pltcneu ulrectly over an OIo grave yard in Ocala, and although most of the bodies had been removed, there was. of course, every probability that some of the remains were still under the ground
 This of course. solved the mystery. to our great relief; for. having found out the cause. we very soon applied a remedy. and it was not long before we had the tent and the animals removed some distance off. As soon as the animals were remov- ed, their savage sulkiness vanished, and they at once settled down into their old routine, and were as obedient and good natured as they had ever been.