The Harrison times., 1911-05-27

| tocks performing animals were de-
stroyed He had only three months
in which to get together and train the
greatest animal groups ever assem-
bled. BY morning Europe was being
| combed with fine comb to furnish
him with new animals. Training went
on day after day, night after night,
until trainers and beasts were almost
dead with fatigue.
Several of the groups exhibited
there were memorable. Twenty leap
ards had been assembled and taught
to walk ropes, shoot guns, jump hur-
dies, ride bicycles, roll barrels and
pose in many positions, Another
group. which consisted Of seventeen
animals, included lions, tigers, pumas,
bears, hyenas, boar hounds, wolves
and one panther. In addition TO the
difficulty of teaching these beasts to
perform there was the task Of train
ing them to forget their natural In
sincts and enter a cage together With
out fighting.
Most remarkable Of all these groups
and in fact the most remarkable AMI
NAL group ever assembled, was Cap
tain Bonavita's company OF thirty
lions. Everyone was fierce black
named Numidian lion. Yet Captain
Bonavita had complete mastery over
them. Probably no greater animal
act will ever be seen than that pre-
sented when Captain Bonavita walked
into cage with the thirty lions and
put them through variety OF exer'
cises that eliminated In the lorna
ton OF a huge armchair OF lions. IN
which the trainer sat unconcernedly
and read his newspaper.
Animals so schooled are OFTEN
spoken of as tame" Animal train.
ers say there is no such thing as a
tame wild animal. Performing AMI
mails are trained, not tanned. They
do not reason, but go through their
tricks parrot-like.
Serious indeed may be the outcome
of any innovation made while the
trainer is Gagged with his pupils. On
one occasion an admirer OF Madame
Pianka sent her some red roses Just
before performance. she thought
lessly took them and entered the
cage. A lion sprang forward and
made a sweep at the roses, fearfully
decorating Madame Pianka's arm and
chest. She threw the roses from her
lust In time. For other lions leapeo
from their pedestals and pounced on
the roses. They had mistaken then
for meat. At another time Mr. Bos
took entered a cage to help Madame
pianka with sulky lioness, He
thoughtlessly struck his whip agains
his boot. Instantly the mate OF the
lioness, thinking no doubt that harm
was intended, sprang upon Mr Bos
tock and downed him. then picked
him up In his mouth and carried hin
10 Madame Pianka. In the latter''
hand was a revolver, used In her act
She instantly nred two shots, which
was the cue for the next act, and th'
lion dropped Mr., Bostock and fell lnt'
his accustomed pose. To this hold o
habit upon the lion, Mr., Bostocl
, owed his life,
or the hazards Of animal traininI
, Il is almost superfuous to speak
Every animal trainer is at time
clawed and bitten. He expects to be
II Is all In the days work.
Animal trainers say that II they eS
/. ercise proper care, they run no great
+, or risk than do miners, locomotive en-
gineers, iron.workers and other met
= who follow hazardous callings. Pei
I. haps that Is true; certainly one maj
y is on record who handled animal
, with entire ipapunity. His name wa
;. Noah and he lived In the ark