The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1906-09-08
UNCLE SANS PETS.
FINE ANIMALS CONFINED IN 200
AT WASHINGTON.
Collection Made Through Officials
and consuis in Foreign Countries
ls One Of the Finest in
the World.

10 One of the Finest in
the World.
Uncle Sam Is enough of Yankee
TO be something of Snowman. He
has a menagerie and zoo at his home
in Washington which is truly a model
of its kind.
How he became the proprietor OF
this unique animal collection, and
dealer in as well 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 pc
tween an armadillo and an lbex' put
today he has in his consular service
an army of agents which he may at
any time utilize in securing deslfaple
animals for the National Zoologlcai
park-his greatest show on eaftn.
According to accounts the founding
Of this great scientific collection oc-
cured in a quite accidental manner.
The Smithsonian Institution and Ma
fional Museum had a large coleeIlon
of stuffed birds and animals and en-
ployed several taxidermlsts TO pre-
mare specimens for exhibition.
Naval officers, consuls ana otnef
people coming from abroad sent glles
of live animals to the institution anu
1t became a practice to keep mum.
Der of these on the grounds IN oraer
| that the taxidemists might sKeteh
and study the animals in their natural
positions.
OF course, after awhile this prae-
tice became more or less of null
sance. The matter at last was
brought up to Mr.. Langley, director
of the Smithsonian Institution anu
he it was who conceived the pfoJect
of having the animals kept in a pafk
adapted to their needs.
Mr.. Langley's plan was asltateo
among the officials of the institution
and it was in the end decided to ASH
/ congress for an appropriation Tor q
National Geological park-a unique
animal park designed particularly
and especially with view to the
comfort of the animals. There was
great deal of opposition, until IN les;
congress appropriated 100000 TO g
toward the purchase of suitable
/ site for Animal Town.
7 A natural park of woodland lf'
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 th'
untutored in the menagerie. For IN
stance. Keeper Blackburn oftel
changes an animal from one cage t
another. He has found that changin'
the cage of a confined animal once il
awhile improves its general condi
ton and makes It better and health
Ter.
The Gagged animal is not long in hi
prison before he knows every inch Q
. It, every scratch on the steel bars
every knot in the floor. Hour by hou
day by day, he has the same environ
uaent, the same outlook. This me
notony is killing to an animal. 70
the impression received through tn
:. senses are everything to the creatur
that has not intellect.
i Many rare creatures have been s.
/ cured by our foreign consuls. A bah
1 tapir from South Africa came in tn
9 way, and the first Alaskan Musko
y ever shipped to the United States wa
J. secured through official channel
From Alaska came another ANNA
. the pride Of the zoo-the immens
! Alaskan brown bear This gree
= beast, more than eight feet tall,
i still growing, and is the largest spec
g men of its kind in captivity.
$ Among the funny looking beasts
n the big yak, from central Asia, vel
g much upholstered looking bovf1
g that is also rare. The graceful lit
6 African antelope, which like Of
Il bison is threatened with extinctio
e il represented in the collection
q several specimens. If this is n
r. enough, then ask to see the TIA
I nanian devi1-a sort of rat of Il
k bear family, which was sent by II
n American consul at New Sou
e Wales.
g AS to the birds, there are birds
houses, birds in the great Tying Gag
and vulturelike, preying birds in
smaller flying cage.
Near by, in separate enclosure,
y wonderful creature, the large
. bird extant-a harpie eagle from Il
7, South American Andes, sent to t
g zoo by Lieut.. Todd. of the Unit,
y States cruiser Washington.
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