The Washington times., 1905-06-11
ALASKAN BEAR
GROWS RAPIDLY
Weighs 900 Pounds and Is
Four Years Old.
NEW BABES At THE zoo
Other Arrivals Added to the Select
Society of Wild Animals in
National Park.
NEW BABES AT THE zoo

The remarkable growth Of the Alaska
peninsula brown bear is attracting con-
siderable attention at the National Park
Zoo. The bear is a beautiful specimen,
but the rapidity of his growth seems al
rost phenomenal.
He was captured In ALASKA, May a,
1901, at the age of four or five weeks. at
Douglass Settlement, at the western en-
trance to Cooks Inlet. He then weighed
eighteen pounds. On January 4, 1902,
when brought to the ECO. his weight
was 1so pounds.
June Is. 1893. he had increased to 45o
pounds, and on January Is, 1904. he
weighed 625 pounds. On the 2Sth of last
January he tipped the scales at TO
pounds, and 1t is estimated that today
his weight is over 800
At the time of the bears capture his
mother was killed, and her skin meas
ured II feet and inches. Her offspring
is now but slightly over feet In length,
and. as he will continue to grow for
some time. will und jubtedly become one
OF the largest specimens in captivity.
He is q remarkable animal, and the
park may well be proud of him He
may be seen in the new bear yards, op-
posite the antelope house.
New Babes Arrive
The stork Is visiting the zoo nearly
every day. During the past week six
prairie dogs, four elk, twin mule deer,
twenty-three heron, four coypu rats and
another litter Of blue fox puN were
born. This makes the fourth litter of
blue foxes born this year
Two 1lamas selected in New York for
breeding purposes arrived during the
week. They are both fine animals and
are considered a valuable addition
One mandrill monkey. a white-face
managby. and a pair of rare crown
cranes were also added Last but by no
means least a rhinoceros hornbiIl, one
Of the most stately fowls in the bird
house, has arrived
He has not as yet become accustomed
to his new home. ferched on a roost in
the middle Of the cage, he does not ruff
f1e feather. but moves his head from
side to side in blank amazement
A Notable Bill.
He Is remarkable for his bill which is
nearly ten inches long and very large
in diameter. 1t tapers somewhat toward
the end, but is far from pointed. The
body feathers are black, set off most eff
fectiyely by a yellow neck. yellow-tipped
wings. and light underfeathers
He has most delicate appetite. His
chief article of diet consists of raw
eggs and rice rolled up into balls about
the size Of marbles. He will also eat
boiled eggs and fruit
Ernest Thomson Seton, the weIl-knoyyn
animal writer, was visitor at the zoo
few days ago. He spent sorne time
making sketches and collecting data
for a new scientific publication which
will soon appear.
Beavers Fell Trees.
The beavers are about the most iufns-
trious OF any OF the animals and the
things they accomplish are almost won
derful. Many large trees In the pen,
some two and a half feet In diameter.
have been felled by the colony which
occupy the place. They have built Il re-
markably clever dam and beaver house.
The best time to see them at work is
just about sun-up or dusk.
The park expects to receive at an
early date a fine specimen of mountain
sheep from Arizona