The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-01

Tn view of the fact that Birmingham children have decided to work for the establishment of a geological garden in one of the city parks the following arti- ele on the rogues of a zoo, written for the May McClure's Magazine by A. W. Eolker will perhaps prove interesting:
 In our menageries there are good ani- mals and bad animals; bad individuals among the good species, and occasionally good ones among the bad-exactly as we have good and bad tribes among the races of men. and bad and good individ- uals among those tribes. As might be expected the most confirmed, incorrigible scamps of a menagerie are among the felines. those great, splendid cats of gor- geous-colored belts. whose every impulse and instinct seem treachery and destruc- ton. And yet the lion and his family contribute but partly to the list of dan gerous captives. Almost every family, Including even those of birds, has It's dangerous members-taken all in all surprisingly numerous and formidable array of zoo" rogues.
 Of all the big. dangerous cats, none is more unapproachable and more treach- erous than the black panther. Railing from the heart of the deepest African jungle 1.-the and supple of body. alert and nervous, this stealthy marauder exceeds in ferocity even a. Bengal tiger. He is the only big feline that the lion trainer does not venture to train; and he is the only cat so absolutely distrustful that he shuns even the light of day. Often he will lie all day long in a dusky corner of his cage his yellow slit-eyes shifting and cleaning restlessly. Even the feeding hour when pandemonium breaks loose among the big cages. when hungry roars and squeals mingle with impatient snarls and impacts of heavy bodies against steel bars. is apt to have no effect on him. He may lie eyeing his chunk Of raw beef suspiciously, and not venture forth until day has waned and the last visitor has left, to tear meat from bones with his long, white fangs. In fact so ugly and vicious is this beast that, fre- auently, he turns on his own kind, and in many instances it is impossible to cage him, even with a mate.
 In the Walter Main circus menagerie, a fierce duel which did not end even after life was extinct happened one night between Bob and "Bess," a pair of fine black partners but recently im- ported from Africa direct. In the small, dark hours of morning, the keeper on watch was startled by angry snarls, soft pads falling heavily, and the chatter of steel bars in their sockets. The animals, both with wide gashes laid open in their thick, glossy belts. were rolling over and over. panting and snarng, and each sinking fangs and claws deep into the other unmindful of the prods of a pitch fork with which the lone witness tried to separate them The frightful pace of the fight soon told, and with a piercing cry one fastened his jaws on the. others throat and, although seemingly lifeless held on in a death grip that brought the victor to the ground.
 Have Little ChiValry.
 / In too many cases, but little chivalry exists between a pair of cat animals and sometimes, in turning violently, beast exhibits the most cunning treachery, as in the case of "Senor Lopez" the New York Geological park jaguar, who killed 'Rayda" his new cage mate, in one of the foulest attacks of which even hu-