The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-14
AT BERLSN'S roo.



BEstix, June THE Geological Garden
here Ia attracting considerable attention
lust now on account Of three unusual at
fractions the only eagles that have ever
built nest and raiscd young ones In cap
tivity, . three. weeks elephant and
pure-brcd Shetland pony and Ito colt.
The eagles. or vultures (vahur mondchus.
L.), have built their nest on the top Of .
tree stump, which stands ten feet high, In
the middle Of their cage. The nest itself
IL about six feet In diameter, built Of large
twigs.
The attention that the male bird pays to
his mate " a subjeu Of frequent remark
among the visitors. He will stand on the
ground, tearing up pieces Of meat with his
claws until they are small enough for i'm
mediate consumption, and then dy up to
the nest with them. tanning the mother
with his big wings while she eats her evening
meal.
The baby elephant was born on barge
coming down the river in India. Its mother
was among q number OF recent captur es.
and the owneI of the animals saw at once
that the usual methods Of training or break
Ing In would have TO be abandoned IN nor
case.
One Of the native mahouts or drivers on
the barge volunteered to take charge OF this
particular elephant. Although 1t was con;
sidered dangerous undertaking he found
It very easy to tame her, probably on &C.
count Of her condition.
During a terrible storm one night the
baby arrived, and the mahout Mad lively
time of It. He cared for the new arr ival
as il II were a child, and came with it o n
the ship TO Hamburg and then by rail to
Berlin.
The way the little elephant runs round
after him and rubs up against him shows
the attachment that exists between them.
The baby and It's mother arrived on Sun
day, May, -, and we're put into ~ the IN
billions, near the main elephant house,
where they attract large crowd all day
long.
a corner Of the same inclosrre, but the
visitors do not seem to realize the value OF
the specimen. Real Shetland ponies are
now even moro rare than the American
buffalo.
doubtedly the finest In the world. Helm
rich Bodinus, a naturalist mace f" ~ha1
1t Is.
He was a very practical man, and under.
stood not only how to take care OF the wild
animals In the cages, but how to coax the
wo-legged ones to come inside the gates
and look at them. In 1870 he managed to
get the earliest dispatches from the seat OF
war and had them posted in the garden
Immediately, attracting enormous crowds.
Unlike most Geological gardens, which
are nothing but circus side-shows on
large scale, the Berlin Zoo is to-day the
fashionable promenade Of the city. The
shares OF the company are to-day among
the most valuable investments in Germany,
and are almost as hard to obtain az those OF
the New River Company in London. The
principal source Of revenue is the money
paid for the various conceestons for res
taurants and cafes, cigar stands, &c.
The main restaurant is q very large puno-
ing, standing on elevated ground opposite
promenade between the two music pavil-
ions. All round this restaurant. on the
gradually sloping ground, are about two
thousand tables, each capable of accommo-
dating four persons. These tables line both
sides of the promenade it's entire length, and
in spite Of their number it is almost I'M
possible to get seat at them on a me
ing hot sausages, candy, cigars ana souve-
Mrs, are scattered over the grounds.
The Geological Garden liz one OF the most
beautiful places in Berlin The broad walks,
lined with magnificent shade trees, are
always in perfect order, while flower beds;
with the greatest skill as fine examples
of landscape gardening. In the evening,
fountains ms play there is ioftness and baImi-
ness about the place thu seems to breathe
the spirit Of the national German life, peace
and rest. Many an American who has
lived for time in Berlin has sighed to think
of the day when this peaceful promenade,
with its pretty dresses and its martial music,
shall be nothing but a memory, which there
is nothing In his native land to replace or
even to recall.