The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-31
Mile AND A HALF OF SNAKES
BIRDS THAT SING OPERA, FEATH-
ERWEIGHT ELEPHANTS,
No End of Monkeys and CAts-An Arrive
az Hoboken TO Settle Here-They're
Nothing 10 the Ark Load OF Captive
Wild Things That Is Coming In April.

Nothing TO the Ark Load OF Captive
Wild Things That Is Coming In April
/ All the immigrants who arrived on We'd
nesday night from Bremen aboard the
North German Lloyd steamship Gnesenau
were not taken TO Ellis Island yesterday
morning. Among those who were left
behind on the pier in Hoboken we're 800
cheerful and chatterng East Indians.
who until a few months ago might have
been seen in the twilight Of their jungle,
a. their laureate describes them holding
each others tails. Other tales, which they
did not hold, were told by their press gent
Calso the publicity promoter Of Louis Ruhe
Of Grand street animal DEALER to the an
thropological reporters, who gathered on
the pier to get the immigrants impressions
Of America. The climate, apparently,
suited them, as there appeared 20 be no
note Of protest in their gossip. Most Of
them were white faced and a. inquisitive as
a foreign actress newly landed, Two
only seemed surly, and they are long armed
orangs that were victims OF seasickness on
the stormy voyage Of twelve days.
Il has been a long time since 80 large a
collection Of wild creatures has got 20 this
port in the hold OF single ship. Twelve
big and little trunks we've necessary TO take
them all away 10 the Ruhe animal farm
at Woodside and the four stored building
in Grand street. About 5000 feathered
warhlers, including goldfnchcs, thrushes,
starlings and a multitude Of canaTies, some
Of the opera" variety that can sing parts
OF the masterpieces Of almost any German
composer except Wagner, and are worth
many times their weight in gold, helped
the loquacious anthropOids 10 greet the
semi-tropical American spring.
Eight elephants including three Of the
very smallest ever brought to New York,
mere featherweights, not more than four
feet tall trumpeted their Joy when they
were swung from the hold to the solid steel
pier They looked a. II they were really
glad to see dear old New York, showing
dimlv through the mist across the river
Later they crossed on a fcrryboat in two
big trucks. each drawn by four horses.
and by way of the Williamsburg Bridge
went to Long Island.
Lrhteen lions. twelve leopards and six
nanthers also seemed 20 think that the
climate Of their native lairs had been
shipped ahead They were as doclle as
Young kittens and as playful. although !
nearly every one Of them only recently /
was leading an irregular scrap-fOr-your- /
meals life in the forest
The only creatures IN the great aggre-
cation, a. Tody Hamilton might say,
that did not seem to care a continental J
about the balmy weather were the snakes. 7
Most Of them are East Indian pythons and I
their combined length, II. like the monkeys .
in the twilight. they were foolish enough /
to catch hold Of each others tails and
stretch themselves. would be more than "a
mile and a half; at least, that is what the !
nrpss agent say. This length is divided !
into sections ranging from TO 80 feet.
There il only one Of the latter length. He /
was completing five months nap neces-
s4rv for the digCSli ion Of deer he encum- /
pasSed lust before he was captured, and
he did not even mcoil himself 70 prove ]
that he was as long Gs estimated. He NAV
have been trained to keep quiet while under |
in spection There seemed to be about ten |
coils of him Mr. Ruhe himself said that !
he would not 20 80 far as the press agent, |
but he was willing 10 declare that the python |
wa- IS feet long and weighed (and he was !
weighed Il he Wa IN measured go pounds, |
or about IL pounds to the foot He was /
taken with the other 500 pythons. cobras
and srakes Of Fast Indian origin, 10 the
Grand street place. Patrons Of two saloons
in the neighhorhoOd viewed the housing Of .
the serpents with satisfaction.
The collection. which cost about $50, 900, .
is almost trivial. Mr.. Ruhe says. compared .
with that which is due 10 arrive here about .
April IS. Mr.. G. Sele who gathered this
T.
After getting III the animals he could find |
i'm good condition in Calcutta and Bombay,
he struck out from the former place into /
the interior. taking with him lot Of silver .
and a large number Of chickens, fancy .
pigeons, dogs and Canaries. The natives .
who make practice Of catching and selling
wild animals usually prefer domestic AMI |
malS 10 money in exchange. MIR Selle |
exhausted his stock Of animals and all his
silver. and got an unprecedented lot Of |
the cat family, some Of the finest specimens
Of the orang and hundreds Of the gorgeous
plumAged birds Of the tropics He also |
ACQUIRED several wildcats from Tibet, |
which he SAYS never have been seen in any
civilized country. The acquisitions were |
sent a. fast az bought TO Calcutta, shipped |
thence 20 Bremen and taken 10 the branch |
house OF the animal dealer Ia Afeld, Han
over, where they are undergoing acclima-
tization. Mr. Ruhe supplies many Of the
geological gardens and most Of the cir
Cuses Of the country with animals. The |
snakes go to the side shows and museums.