Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-22

scented Darwin's references to the monkey
clan, for the Malabar twins, like many
of the busy farmers Of the country, do
not shave. Their family is called the
wanderoo. and their family crest is q
halo of whiskers about four inches long.
which adds to the picturesqueness or
their quaint little faces. They are small
and gray and intelliSent-looking.
The spring millinery Opening" Of the
park will take place within the next few
weeks, and the birds are preparing their
best millinery for the occasion. The
collection OF birds. which is ore Of the
larg2 st and most valuable in the world,
includes representatives from nearly all
the countries of the globe. TIE most
brilliant in plunage and rarest specimens
Of the feathery family come from South
America and Australia. Most OF them
have recovered from the first shock OF
inconsistencies, and We're as happy and
we'll in their winter quarters at the Zoo
as in their tropical homes. for which
they have ceased pining. In fact. the
birds and animals are so well cared for
that a death from sickness Is rarity.
most of the deaths which have occurred
having been from old age. The loss OF
one of the zebras last year appeared TO
be case of suicide. although the park
officials declare it was merely an acct
dent. The zebra ran into a wire fence
and broke its neck.
~
One of the late developments in life
at the Zoo is the regular roundup OF
cats in the park. The activities OF these
pests have become such disturbing ele-
ment in the well-regulated. orderly life
of the Zoo inhabitants that the park man
agement has been compelled to wage a
merciless war on these intruders.
"One Of the ambitions OF the manage
ment." said Supt. Frank Baker. lis to
give much attention to the appearance
of the grounds and make the park as at
tractive as poss BILE. If we have squirrels
and small birds running about. which
give the grounds pretty and natural
appearance. these small creatures are at
the m ,rcy of these cats. which at times
simply overrun the grounds
Heartless people who leave the city and
want to get rid of their cats. and people
who set tired of these pets. los, them in
the park grounds and these abandoned
creatures make life miserable for the
park people. At regular intervals, the
cat-hunt:ng brigade. composed Of the
keepers and caretakers of the park, armed
of the moonlight raids through the park
resulted in the capture of twenty-five
members of the feline family.
The most important work of the year
at the Zoo Is the completion Of some new
buildings and roads. Tn small mammal
well-arranged conservatory, represents
one of the finest of it. kind in thu coun-
try. Repa rs to other buildings have
added much to the improved conditions
of the National Geological Park. AS some
recent foreign visitors 10 the park re-
marked: This park has one o. the finest
collections of animals in the world and
the worst lot of buildings"
Out .of the meager appropriation OF
500. coo a year from Congress very little
building can be accomplish d by strict
economy in every direction The new
mammal house. which cost $4,000. rep.
res nts the savings out of three years
appropriation. There is movement
among scientists throughout the country
who have patriotic pride in making thu
National Zoo one of the fin st in tbs
world to try to coax more money out OF
Congress for this work. and they point
to the fact that while the National Zoo-
logical Park has only about half as many
inma es as the Bronx Zoo of New York
city, yet the New York buildings, in pro-
portion to the comparison of tn two zoo
populations. are extensively greater. the
recent elephant building there having cost
S250.0Ot. while all the buildings Of the
Zoo only represent an outlay
OF S15OO00.