The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-24
MUSEUM OR MENAGERIE.
A Plea for the Preservation OF wild Life
I'm Captivity.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: The
letter of DR.. w. S. Ransford, under the
heading of Museum or Menagerie," in
THE Sun of July %, is interesting, and
the question he raises of doing away al
together with geological parks In favor Of
museums touches SO many people, both
the old and the young that II seems worth
while to discuss It,
In order to satisfy myself as to the
relative popularity OF these two forms Of
educational amusement, l have secured
tho figures showing the attendance for
tho past year at two typical institutions
In this city, one showing the live wild
animals as nearly as possible In their
natural appearance and surroundings. and
the other showing mounted specimens of
tho same species set up by the best taxi
dermists known. The official recopded
attendance at the Bronx Geological Park
was l.si36S3; tho attendance at the
Museum OF Natural History was 72S.2Ss,
which Included the flower show: omit
ting tho people who visited the flower
display the attendance at the Bronx Zoo
logical Park was just about three times
as great as that at tho museum SO
much for that end Of the argument
Dr. Rainsford has had the means and
the leisure to travel widely: TO SEQ wild
animals In their native haunts lie
knows Just how they look there for he
majority OF people lack the opportunity
TO see Wild animals running free. they
must see them, II at all. In the geological
parks, and they derive much enjoyment
and profit from seeing them there even
II the wild animals are not always the
most perfect examples OF their kind But
they will often find there specimens good
enough to arouse the admiration OF the
big game hunters like Dr. Rainsford. I
admit tho health and pleasure OF pur-
suing and killing big game. but can find
IN tho geological parks in New York,
Washington and elsewhere finer animals
than ! have ever seen in the wilderness.
Moreover, men who do much hunting
know that tho life OF most wild animals
~ Keen and almost continuous struggle
for existence, the larger preying on the
smaller, and all OF them at times suffer-
Ing from lack Of food or disaster Of some
sort. In Maine, Canada and the Adlron-
dacks | have found the carcascs OF deer
that had died OF starvation In the deep
SHOWS. / have seen In the Rocky Noun
talns the bleaching bones of elk and other
animals that had died of the same cause
or that had been killed by wolves or
mountain lions Tho tragedies Of the
woods are manifold and n one IL to get
sentimental about 1t he might well pause
to consider whether these Interesting
creatures are not safer and better off
Wnen Wei cared Tor and in comfortable
surroundings than when enjoying their
freedom, which means suffering and death
IN more Instances than most people are
aware Of
The idea that dead animal, however
wei mounted. can convey the same in
terest and educational value as one full
OF life and movement seems to me un-
tcnable Even In their captivity one gets
fair notion of the ways and calls and
habits OF the Wild creatures: the move
ments of the big cats. the cunning tricks
or the fox and raccoOn. the bugle call OF
TIE bull elk, the yapping Of coyotes and
the clumsy strength OF the bear. Fur
thermore. the geological parks are not
only the preservers OF life, they are also
the cause Of an increase of life. as has
been the case with the buffalo and other
animals In captivity that have reproduced
their Kind and helped to perpetuate their
species. Therefore when Dr. Rainsford
says that the wild life OF the world will
he saved for us not In the menagerie but
In the museums ne has reversed the
facts Let us, by all means, have our
museums, but let MS not tolerate a senti-
mentality that will bring dlsfavor upon
our geological gardens.
! imagine that II animals could talk and
express n preference as TO the disposition
10 be made Of them they would unite I'm
requesting that they be placed in a ZOO
logical park rather than shot and stuffed
! am sure that n largo majority of the
people would agree as to the wisdom OF
their choice. ApTIt.R T. Ptcr
NEW YORK. July 90.