Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-16
FEEDING TIME AT THE ZOO
AND HOW THE ANIMALS EAT

awkward and ungainly of animals. even
II his lack of knowledge of natural his
tory did not lead him to call it fish
However, after seeing them fed AT the
Zoo. one is compelled In acknowledge that
these creatures probably possess the most
active and efficient bodies Of any I'm the
whole scale of creation. considered in
regard to their environment After their
dinner they exercise themselves by tear
ing about in the water so quickly that ii
is difficult for the eye to follow their
movements. Their rapidity in swimming
would leave the fastest and most power
ful motor boat far behind in a race.
-
Probably few visitors to the Zoo have
taken the pains. or the pleasure, as the
case may be, to witness all the strange
creatures being fed. The habits of the
different animals in this respect are, of
course. strikingly varied. and are well
worth watching. 1t is an old speculation
as to how the animals know their feed
ing time SO exactly befoIa there are any
indications of the event to the human OBJ
server The meat-eating animals are not
FED sundays. and the day of rest finds the
dig aarnlvorae qu!escent and apathetic at
the hour when. were IL a week and con-
sequently. a dining day, they would he
restlessly pacing their dens, with looks
and cries of savage expectation. This
singular circumstance has been account
ed Tor oy the quickness of ear, which en-
ables them to hear the preparation of the
food in the cellar beneath the main animal
house. Whether it be this abnormal hear
ing faculty or some strange gift of MEM
ory which enables them to dispense with
the aid of calendar and a clock seems
to be matter for endless speculation to
many visitors to the Zoo.
The odOr Of hot boiled onions probably
carries to the olfactory organs of the
monkeys the welcome intimaton that
feeding time is nigh. Then If YOU want
to see an example of character contrast
in animals, station yourself before the
cage which contains the pig-tailed monkey
and the black-faced baboon. The former
resembles. in countenance, a comic China
man, with very large and protuberant
eyes. constantly in motion. while his COM
panion. the baboon, has a long and mel
Ancholy visage. like that of a negro nin-
lister of the gospel with pronounced views
on the subject of a future state of punish
ment- These simans are among the last
to be reached by the man with the food
basket. and. as the little pig-tailed mon
key conemplateS the methodical progress
OF the provisions, which all the time are
becoming grievously reduced in bulk, his
comic and frantic organs of vision liter
ally stand out on his cheeks, while he
gives vent to divers sounds singularly
human-like and suggestive of profanity.
In distinct and edifying contrast to this
carnal demeanor is that of the baboon
The latter maintains a staid. lugubrious
and almost pious front, and seems to
quietly demonstrate with his impatien,
companion. He is keen on the victuals
however, when they do come, and man
ages to tuck in the major portion.
II
Another contrast in their methods OF
disposing of their food is to be noted In
fu,c
In an outdoor cage in the western por-
ton of the park. AS feeding time draws
near these birds begin fitting about as
only ravens can fit. uttering their various
and queer cries, and when the keeper
heaves in sight with their provisions they
welcome him tremendously, appearing
to actually bow and curtsey. The male
bird promptly obeys the keepers bidding
to ascend his perch. and is then thrown
| quantity of chopped raw meat. The
other raven remains upon the ground and
picks up what her consort drops, as vel
as her own portions of meat and chopped
vegetables. Keeping her beady eye or
the bird above. she then proceeds to bury
in various parts of the sandy bottom OF
the cage considerably store of provi-
sions. More than a dozen caches does
the bird make. with astonishing slyness
and dexterity. by means of the iron
like bill and the facilities afforded by the
sand. Then the willy creature struts
about with a singuIarly satisfied express
sion, while the bird above consumes all
it's store at once, and seems, like Oliver
Twist, to call, in its own hoarse way, for
more
To see the Florida cormorants diving
for fish beneath the water, which is sup
piled In their dens with glass front,
like an aquarium, is one Of the queer
feeding spectacIes at the Zoo. The prac-
tical utility of training these birds to
fish, as is done in China, is readily APP
preciated after seeing them.
The prairie dogs are robbed of much of
their provisions by the peacock, of which
there are now considerable number
wandering loose around the park The
gorgeous oriental birds descend upon the
Enclosure of the unfortunate little rodents
and quietly and disdainfulIy appropriate
the latters supply of chopped vegetables
and bread. A more than usually daring
or hungry prairie dog. approaching too
near one of the lordly birds, is given a
vicious peck. upon which it promptly re-
treats to its hole, evidently to talk of its
woes with its fellow sufferers. who peer
out at their despoilers with paIpa BILE
chaerin. One wonders why they do not
make a concerted attack, and what the
result would be if they did
The wild birds. evidently for miles
around, apparently know the feeding
hours at the Zoo, as well as the inha BIZ
tants themselves. Vast 1ocks of buzz
yards are to be seen at such times, as
we'll as 1ocks of crows. and numbers of
the ubiquitous sparrows. Other food
robbers of the animals are the rats, whose
depredations are consderab Bile, and every
attempt to destroy which have been,
hitherto, in vain.