Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-19
ARE OF ROYAL BLOOD
TWO ANIMALs1 PLACED IN THE
zoo THIS MORNING.
One a Gift to PRESIDENT Roosevelt
Immense ELEPHANT Tusks Also
for the President.

Without the blaze of heralding trumpets,
with no purple orr ermine or other SEM
blance of their pedigree two royal guests
arrived today in Washington, and are quar-
tered in an unpretentious edifice, resting
their weary bones upon humble beds of
straw. The more prominent of the two ar
rivals is lion, six months old, the present
of King Menelik of Abyssinia to the Presi-
dent of the United States. The other royal
traveller is hyena, the ugliest and most
arrogant of his tribe that has ever invaded
the city of Washington, He comes as a
gift to the National Geological Park from
Consul General Skinner, recently envoy to
the king of that East African empire
notwithstanding the fact that President
Roosevelt is passionately fond OF wild AMI
mails, he believed 1t would be crowding to
give the lion berth in the White House
Furthermore. there is a small army of SER
wants which does not share the President
fondness for unframed and non-domestf-
Gated beasts. Therefore. the lion was billed
through to the Zoo. where 1t has been Ia
troduced to others of its kind which pre-
coded it to this Rock, creek rendezvous
There 1t will be cared for by Superintend-
ent Baker and his assistants.
Lion in Ill-Health.
The authorities at the Zoo are not over
enthusiastic, however, because Of the re-
cent additions The lion is not In good
health and Is suffering from the ricketts,"
as the animal keepers call II. To a lay
mind 1t presents 'rickety' appearance,
whether or not this is In reality the nature
Of the disease. Keepers said today that
the animal had either left Abyssinia in very
poor health. or been subjected to bad care
and improper food while on the long and
tedious journey to this country At any
rate, something IS radically wrong, and
the lion doctor has been sent for. with
hope of restoring the stranger to better
health.
But the hyena has no pains or ailments.
AS a picture of good health and an ex-
ample of what early athletic training will
do. he is the best ever. His only ambition
Is freedom and a chance to chew up few
of his wary keepers. He looks around out
of the corner of his eyes, dreaming of his
far-away Somalland and wondering what
sort of fate it is that has landed him in
such fncongruous surroundings. He Is
rather hard to get acquainted with and re-
tains that aristocratic reserve acquired dur
ing his royal associations. b.
Elephant Tusks for White House.
The two animals arrived this morning at
0 o'clock and were taken to the Zoo in an
express wagon, in charge of c. E, Taylor
and 7. A. Bligh. After this load had been
disposed of a trip was made to the White
House. where two immense elephant tusks
were turned over to the President. No
body in Washington ever saw an elephant
with tusks as large as these and the belief
at the White House is, that King Menlik
had his tribesmen to find the largest ele-
plant in his Kingdom o. to despofl of the
ivory. The tusks are eight feet nine inches
long and weigh 175speunds They are most
carefully wrapped, in ,ehamois skin to pre-
vent damage. The President will hang
them In the White House. He considers
them magnificent specimens and will ex-
press his thanks TO King Menelik for the
lion and tusks. al. a.
The cost Of bringing the two animals here
amounted to a little more than 81 600 and
specimens could be purchased through New
York agents for half that amount The Zoo
keepers believe the President will drive out
Sunday and meet his friends from Somal-
land. =, -i