The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-30

According to the animal man of the
Sells-DoWnS circus, a few of these rare
beasts have recently been captured, and
are now on their way to Topeka to be
added to the menagerie of the show.
One of these is the rare and beautiful
Okapi, a cross between a giraffe and
horse. The big 3O-vOlume cycloped1aS
say nothing about the Okapi, but that
is the fault of the cyclopedias, not of
the Okapi. The fact that the Okapf is
known to be cross between a giraffe and
a horse proves that it exists. The
Okapi probably has hair on its eyeballS
and horn like unicorn, but the To-
peka people are strangely silent on this
point.
Then there is a Kadiak bear, the first
one ever brought out by the mission
aries to enjoy the refnements of mod
ern civilization The word "Kadiak'' is
books, but everybody knows what
bear is, and no one can cite a good rea-
son why there should be no Kadiak
bears. The exact characteristics of the
Kadiak bear are unknown, but if he is
like the camera of similar name, he GER
tainly will be very taking exhibit.
But" says the animal man, the
greatest novelty to grace our shows
that at last Topeka is to have
Rodent! OF course this wonderful beast
was trapped in South America. The
animal man says:
This rich and latest purchase was
| trapped down in South America, be-
hind the northeastern side of the
Andes. It is said to be as big as
Newfoundland dog"
Behind the northeastern side Of the
Andes is exactly where these New
Mt. Ararat. Some of the animals
chose the extreme eastern end of the
| Andes, but the wise ones all drifted
| toward the northern side of the chain
All alonG the north banks of the
Andes you will find these exotics of
Asia Minor, shivering in the icy breezes
which blow along the equator
| Scientific books say that rodents are
small animals with long front teeth,
such as rats, mice, squirrels and
| guinea pigs Nothing Is said about a
rodent as big as Newfoundland dog,
but the Industrious trapper, working
night and day on the Sells-DownS ad-
vertising, has caught one standing on
/ the northeast corner OF the Andes, ana
/ TINT settles it.
| There is also a new-fangled jaguar
| in the cargo. Caught in South Amer
lea, OF course. but whether on the
| northeast or southwest corner OF the
Andes the advertising man fails to
state. 1t is supposed that this 5aguar
was bred especially for the Sells
Downs shows, but what two animals
were crossed to produce it is one OF
the trade secrets Anyway, we nave
the animal mans word for it that it
| is brand new species, thoroughly pro-
| tected by patents. He says:
Another fine prize from South Amer
| lea is a new species of jaguar, quite
different from any that has ever been
| exhibited in shows in any part of the
| world 1t is said to be big black fell
low, and tremendously fierce. Nobody
has been able to CAPTURE one before
alive. the firms agent abroad writes .
Continuing his description, the an
irnal man says: 1.-TWO fine birds. said
by native hunters to be more than
worth their weight In gold, are the
last to be with this shipment They
are known in their country as the bell
bird, because they have a voice like a
clear, ringing bell
1t is supposed from this description
that these wonderful birds with the
bell voices win perform the feat of
ringing their own necks.
1t is worth noticing that there are no
lyre-birds included in this shipment
Perhaps the show has all it needs.
Willie Sells and his partner, NJ. j.
Downs, have gone to New York to meet
the vessel from Europe which is bring