The San Francisco call., 1906-09-16
By Elizabeth Haight Strong

- n the principle that there are
people who have never seen
" sunrise. never eaten cheese
or entered library. there are
doubtless thousands who have never
seen or realized the existence OF the
nursery OF animals in Golden Gate
Park. This does not mean that there
is special place where all the baby
animals congregate, for there is not.
but bits Of the nursery peep out or
come to light in the most unexpected
places. This year the nursery is of
uncommon interest, as all the little
dweilers are OF quite recent arrival
and not many people have a chance
70 get a peep at them. as they are ex-
tremely shy and disappear with celer-
ity when investigated too closely.
Mr. Leland, keeper of the animals.
admits. however. that the nursery has
comparatively few visitors He as
cribes this to the fact that admission
10 the park is free, aud that people
have a tendency TO undervalue that
which has not cost them anything.
But Mr.. Leland knows thet were a cir
Gus TO come alone. with its flarlng
posters on the fences shrleking the
event and depicting ladies in pink
tights balancing with miraculous skill
on one toe on the back of the madly
galioping horse; elephants marching
sclemnly. trunk linked in trunk; lions
and tigers glaring with thrilling fe-
reeity behind cage bars. every man,
woman and child would be buying tick
cts for the show.
And they would struggle in a hot,
Poorly ventilated tent. with a jostline,
pushing crowd. for a peep. perhaps
stcve some ones shoulder at the ami
rails lying listiess on the floors of
their stuny cages
But the animals in Golden Cate Park
have lost for the majority Of people
nearly all their interest, because they
may be seen any day without special
exertion and with no expense.
Producing a New Deer.
Yet nothing could be prettier than
TO see the deer and their young in the
park paddock. There are 1--WE young
deer this year Of unusual Importance,
being the result OF an experiment OF
Mr.. Leland. who has all the animals
directly under his care. They are
the only species OF their kind known
in America. The cross was originally
from a black tail and a white tail deer.
and their issue was crossed again with
frasas
more than satisfactory. for the Ave
young deer give promise OF becoming
better looking than any Of their nu-
naeFous ancestors. They have partic-
ylariy enc heads, their bodies of me-
dfum size are well proportioned. and
their legs have not the awkward length
or many OF the California deer. and
yet are longer than the short-limbed
Mexican or cotton tail deer. as they are
sometimes called.
The Axis deer have two young ones
among them. The first pair OF these
deer were presented to the park about
ten years ago by Mr.. Rudolph spreck-
els. who imported them from Japan.
They are noble looking animals. with
exceptionally fine horns. and because OF
their beautifully spotted coats they are
often known as spotted deer These
spots. so common TO the young of many
species. generally disappear when the
animals have attained their full growth.
Our deer change their color with The
seasons. growing paier and paIer. until
IN winter time they are nearly gray.
but the Mexican deer show very little
variation in their colors.
It may literally be said of the male
that he is as proud as a peacock. That
gandy bird. when shedding his bril-
lentiy colored tail. sneaks or by him
self and is as afraid OF being seen as
a vain coquette growing a new COM
plexiOn. When tho gorgeous feathers
come In again. forth he struts for dis
play and conquests.
The male deer does the same al
though it's his horns he sheds and
not his tail For ten weeks he hides
hts diminished head where none can
gaze upon him, and then. toward the
end OF spring. the antlers beginning
10 appear again. Mr.. stag steps daint-
ily forth. holding high his graceful
head suitably crowned.
Another peculiarity OF the deer that
is little known is the fact II has
a cavity beneath each eye, sometimes
called 'tear-pit." the purpose OF which
has not yet been ascertained. These
cavities can be opened at nlsasur4