The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-08-22
BEASTS IN STRIPES
ARE WORST OF
ANIMALS
AN OLD MENAoERiE MAN SAYS
THEY ARE so MARKED AS DAN.
GER SIGNALS TO HUMANS-HY-
ENAs HIS ABoMlNATIoN.

MILWAUKEE,. Aug. 2l.-"Do you
know | sometimes think" said cir
Gus man. that the Almighty has
marked some Of the wild animals
with stripes SO that we will know
them as the darndest. meanest and
orneriest beasts on the footstool Meb-
be. too, that's why We put convicts in
stripes Take those hyenas, for in
stance They come under the head OF
the dog species. How seldom you
ever hear Of the dog nipping the hand
mat feeds IT, These ugly things are
liable to do II at any time.
rney are The most uncomfortable
Things IN the whole menagerie, and
II had unruly nerves they would
have me jumping You can't train
them. because they never can be de-
pended upon. Their heads are not
big enough for much storage of
sense hat fer thst--hry- more
rnfiI'I-- Here tffuri- sea lions, the most
Mighty Intelligent, unless possibly the
elephants. OF all beasts
Hyena "CussedIy" Mean. :
THE hyena is so 'cussedly' mean
that | leave him severely alone and
generally put him in a dark corner,
where he can pad-pad to his hearts
content His food IS showed In TO him
on long handled pan.
THE tiger is another striped bad
one. Even kitten tigers hiss and
scratch and hump themselves, show
Ing That the meanness OF their ma
lures is In the bone Most kitten and
puppy animals are stupid and friend
ly and like to have their heads rub
bed. Kitten tigers will scratch the
hand that tries this. even though their
eyes are little Sits not yet open. A
nimble young tiger would rather fight
than eat. A full grown ti-er will fight
TO finish with anything that walks,
but 1t is more cunning aud does not
| take so many chances as the exuber-
ant youngster.
Tigers have been trained. out they
are apt 20 go of any time aud make
trouble for their masters. II may be
scrap between themselves that stirs
their savage blood, II may be a hurt
ing whip. or 1t may be a crazy i'm
pulse born of something no one can
spell. After the tiger once gets-the
Taste Of bIead-th%N -best-tAies to do is
to kill him.
zebras Naturally Mean,
"Zebras are pudgy little horses
with stripes that give away their tenn
permanent. Every now and then you
hear of zebras broken TO harness.
Well, | have seen a few OF these. but
they didn't go very far before some
thing else was broken besides the ze
bras mean nature. They are strong
and good looking, but SO Internally
cussed that there is no doing any
thing with them. They serve all right
In menagerie as a part OF a display
of wild creatures, btttt4fst- about lets
them out.
'On the other hand, spotted ami
mails are apt TO be gentle and teach
able. The giraffe is the mildest thing
on four legs. The three with Ring
ling Brothers are perfect specimens,
with big melting eyes and shrinking
airs They make me think OF a red
checked country girl who vans to run
from every stranger. The spotted
species OF the deer are just as timid
and further carry out the idea. OF
course, there is the leopard, rather
bad animal. But he 10 an exception.
and the meanest OF his kind Is the
t1ittck7 iifr-tbff,te h-f-oprta- frequent
ly called the black panther, but the
spots are not visible.
Good Lions to Let Alone.
Sometimes a lions name is marked
with uneven black circles. When this
Is the case II is wise not to get too
familiar. II is the sign OF bad streak
somewhere in Leo's makeup. anu
there is no telling when this stain
might turn his strength into savage
danger. In the splendid Ringing col
lection there is a group OF magnificent
brown lions with headgear OF this
beautiful marking. Every time that
any of them mixed long with other
lions in the big exercising room Ut
the winter quarters In Baraboo big
row took place and the lion with the
striped mHng was sure 70 be IN the
midst Of il.
They are good fighters and will
never give up until killed. Las, win
ter | had TO wave torches and throw
hot water 10 break them apart. AS
last resort. when these beasts get into
savage struggle dse hot water.
They don't mind being beaten with hot
irons, but will give up and turn tail
when the steaming water hits their
heads and backs. | don't like to do
this, because they have sensitive
spines and are apt 10 take cold. Big
as they are, il doesn't take cold long
to grip their lungs and hurry them
into pneumonia.
Animals with solid color from
the crown OF the head to the tip OF
the tail generally turn out TO be we'll
| hananced The black panther is
against this theory, but he. after all.
| Is an unfair example, because his
spots are plain to be seen when the
| light is strong The elephant is
good natural and nhedienI- -cameE
takes life easy and doesn't seem TO
worry about anything so long as he IN
left to MUNICH by himself. bear with
fur OF several standings Is bad one
TO take risks with. Bears are not much
good anyway. Ia my mind.
The polar bear IS the meanest OF
Them all His coat OF solid white goes
againstl the notion thar an unvarying
color marks the animal az being level.
headed, but this is only an exception
/ The tapjr IS harmless beast ana
rater affectionate He can even cry.
| Big rolling tear drops show this When
! his keeper cuts him out OF a meal or
goes away for "a day or two. MS SUI
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