The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1907-09-21
THE NATIONAL zoo
INSTITUTION or IMPORTANCE At,
THE CAPITAL.
Here Are Collected Fine Specimens
Of Animals Gathered from All
Parts Of the WorId-Piace
Like Natural Park.

Not long ago Ras Makonnen, gov
ernor of Harrar province, Abyssinia,
after the manner, Of old-world poten-
tates, presented to the United States
a rare species of zebra. With the
zebra came the lion and later a pair
of ostriches was shipped from the
same source. From Sir Reginald
Wingate, the successor to Lord Kitch-
ener as governor-general of Soudan,
there has come another lion, and from
the governors of states in Brazil, such
as the governor of Para and the gov
ernor Of Amazonas, the United States
has accepted number of South
American animals. Within a fort
night, Mr.. Nelson of the department
of agriculture shipped to Washington
two Mexican tiger cats and number
of rare forest birds, the gift of Carlos
H. Jones Of Campeche, Mexico.
The international courtesies ex-
changed, it is not generally known
what becomes of these animals. The
future Of many other beasts and birds
| which in one way or another, through
consuls Or department agents, come
| into the possession of the United
States government is not usually fol-
| lowed up. To whose charge are they
given, and how do they pass the rest
| of their lives?
Twenty years ago they would have
been turned over to some private me-
nagerie or housed in crude wooden
structures back Of the Smithsonian
| institution in Washington, where
biologists and biologists could study
them at close range. Perhaps the daily
sight of these temporary structures
had something to do with the purpose
the late DR.. S. O. Langley, secretary
of the institution, took steps to carry
out at that time to found on the out
| skirts of Washington a national ZOO
| logical park.
It was not an easy task to convince
legislators why they should pay to
''have the Nebraska elk and Florida
| alligators cooped up" In 1890, how.
ever, bill was finally passed through
| congress to establish geological park
/
the instruction and recreation of the
people," and also as a haven of ref.
uge where those native animals that
were threatened with extinction might
live and perpetuate their species in
| peace"
The bill allotted 100000 for the
purchase of land and building. The
few animals Gagged back of the Smith
sonian institution we're turned over tC
new quarters, and the administration
Of the national zoo became a branch
Of the institutions work.
| Now 1877 acres of billy, woody land
two miles from the center Of Wash
ington is the final home of nearly
| every beast that comes into the pos
session of the United States govern
| ment. There is no law making il
the only depository for such gifts
but as a matter of fact, very few are
| sent elsewhere.
An idea of Secretary Langley, when
| he founded the zoo, was to furnish
| for the animals surroundings as near
ly like their natural homes as pos
sible. The idea was a new one al
the time. The few menageries in the
country had not the facilities to exc
cute any such plan. He opposed any
too evident artifciality in the archi
lecture of the grounds. He wished
the national ZOO to be a natural park
in every mode practicable. The large
acreage helped him in this course, fol
our geological gardens are two and {
half times as large as the celebrated
Thiergarten at Berlin and fou1
times as large as the ZOO in London
Since the national ZOO was founded
over 1900 animals have been housed
here and during the last few years
the collection has averaged abou
1900 birds and beasts at a time.