St. Tammany farmer., 1906-09-08
UNCLE SANS PETS.
FINE ANIMALS CONFINED IN 700
At WASHINGTON.
Collection Made Through Officials
and consuls In Foreign Countries
10 One Of the Finest in
the World.


TO, be something Of Snowman. He
has a menagerie and zoo at his home
in Washington which Is truly . model
Of it's kind.
How he became the proprietor OF
this unique animal collection, and q
dealer in as we'll as a purchaser Of
strange and wonderful birds, beasts
and reptiles is told in the Rosary
Magazine.
Fifteen years ago our national
uncle did not know the difference be-
tween an armadillo and an ibex; but
to-day he has in his consular service
an army of agents which he may at
any time utilize in securing desirable
animals for the National Geological
park-his greatest show on earth. =
According to accounts the founding
of this great scientific collection oc-
Cured in quite accidental manner.
The Smithsonian Institution and Ma
tional Museum had large collection
of Stuffed birds and animals and EN-.
ployed several taxidermists to pre-
pare specimens for exhibition.
Naval officers, consuls and. other
people coming from abroad sent gifts
of live animals to the institution and
1t became a practice to keep mum.
Der of these on the grounds In order
that the taxidemists might sketch
and study the animals in their natural
positions.
OF course, after awhile this prac-
tice became more or less OF null
sance The matter at last was
brought up to Mr.. Langley, director
of the Smithsonian Institution, and
he it was who conceived the project
of having the animals kept IN q park
adapted to their needs. :.
Mr. Langley's plan was agitated
among the officials of the institution,
and it was in the end decided to ask
congress for an appropriation for a
National Geological park-a unique
animal park designed particularly
and especially with view to the
comfort of the animals. There was a
great deal of opposition, until In 1899
congress appropriated 100000 to go
toward the purchase of a suitable
site for Animal Town.
A natural park of woodland ITO
acres In extent, embracing the valley
of Rock Creek and the surrounding
hills, was purchased and an addition
al appropriation for maintenance fol-
lowed.
There are many mysteries to the
untutored in the menagerie. For in
stance, Keeper Blackburn often
changes an animal from one cage to
another. He has found that changing
the cage of a confined animal once in
awhile improves its general condf-
ton and makes It better and health.
ior.
The Gagged animal is not long in his
prison before he knows every inch Of
1t, every scratch on the steel bars,
every knot in the floor. Hour by hour
day by day, he has the same environ
ment, the same outlook. This mo-
notony is killing to an animal, for
the impression received through the
senses are everything to the creature
that has not intellect.
Many rare creatures have been Sc.
cured by our foreign consuls. A baby
tapir from South Africa came In this
way, and the first Alaskan Muskox
ever shipped to the United States was
secured through official channels.
From Alaska came another animal,
the pride of the zoo-the immense
Alaskan brown bear. This great
beast, more than eight feet tall, is
still growing, and is the largest speci-
men OF its kind in captivity.
Among the funny looking beasts is
the big yak, from central Asia, very
much upholstered looking bovine
that Is also rare. The graceful little
African antelope, which like our
bison is threatened with extinction,
il represented in the collection by
several specimens. II this is not
enough, then ask to see the Tas-
manian devil-a sort Of rat of the
bear family, which was sent by the
American consul at New South
Wales.
AS to the birds, there are birds in
houses, birds In the great nying cage,
and vulturelike. preying birds In
smaller flying cage.
Near by, in separate enclosure, IL
a wonderful creature, the largest
bird extant-a -harpie eagle from the
South American Andes. sent to the
zoo by Lieut.. Todd, Of the United
States cruiser Washington.