The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-06-29

STTu"N ITC pItNIDAS NtdF TOT z M I
uonal geological park under the direc-
ton Of the Smithsonian Institution.
MS lana, comprising about 161 acres.
N what is known as the Rock Greek
valley. IS located a short distance be-
yond the confines of the city OF Wash
inSton. Here are housed and coralied
nearly Loo animals, birds, and rep
tiles from all parts Of the world, I'M
der the care of DR.. Frank Baker. su-
perinJendent.
The Washington Zoo. as it is popu-
iarlF knoWn, is the ~outgrowth of a
small collection of living animals
which for several years had been as |
sembled In sheds and p~addocks ada |
cent to the Smithsonian building in the
Mall, where they were kept primarily
for scientific study, although they
were a constant source of interest
TO the public. DR.. Samuel P%ierpont
Langley, the then secretary of the
institution, however, desired to i'm
prove matters, both for the animals
themselves and the public. and conse-
quently undertook to interest Congress
in a national geological park, with the
result mentioned above.
His selection of a location was the
one finally chosen by Congress. IL
would be impossible to find in this
latitude a situation better adapted
to the preservation of wild animals,
combining as it does exposures of
every variety-sunny slopes and cool
shady hillsides, level meadows and
rocky cliffs-affording an abundance
Of excellent water, n sufficiently
near the city to make it easily &C
cessible to the public.
The act establishing the park de-
clared n Of its purposes to be the
F"instruction and recreation of h
people," which it serves admirably;
thousands of children make it their
playground, babies dig in the sand
or sleep in the pleasant shade,
small children wade in the creek and
play on the rocks, older ones play ball
and tennis On the lawns in summer,
and skate on the ponds in winter
while all ages picnic in the shady
woods. Schools come en- masse to
pursue their nature studies, and each
: erS to extend their knowl-
edge of the wild birds. animals. and
plants Of the region. On Easter Mon
day, a very popular holiday in Wash
: ingtOn, countless adults and children
flock there to indulge in the pastime
S Of egg-rolling. The park vies fol
popularity with the White House
grounds on this occasion. Last yea
n the visitors on Easter Monday nun
a bered $1,000.
Most of the buildings are grouped
within a comparatively small area OF
a hill located in the central part o
the park. The largest is the liol
house, which contains most Of tn
large cats. There are represented
e specimens of the lion, tiger, puma
leopard, jaguar, lynx, several and oce
4, lot, and many other Interesting ami
y mails.
:, Behind the lion house is the monke.
house where some forty monkeys o
r. various species maintain a continuou
y vaudeville show to the great JOY O
;e the visitors. One of the most mis-
IS chievous Of this tribe is a mandril
Is named "Napper." He stands in tn
n bored and ~listless, but if an unwar
1T visitor attempts to arouse him b
le thrusting out an umbrella or a ha
he becomes active instantly, n seiz
ID ing the object in his powerful hand:
he he tears it to pieces. In spite of tn
lie watchfulness Of the keepers, he has t
at his discredit the destruction of 5
v umbrellas and over so hats, anon
h which with a large flight aviary bui
Near at hand is the bird hous'
b. which with a large flight aviary blu
es w a wooded stream, n som
O. birds, including 172 different specie
is There is another good sized buildin
is known as the antelope house, Whert
n, in are to be seen many specimens
is this animal in various forms and size
There is the bontebok, the hart'
beest, the waterbuck, the gnu, and TT
p great oxlike Gland, the largest
them all, together with fleet foote
gazelles, many of which are kille
rs in the East to obtain their skins ft
,rt water sacks. One gaZelle from Indi
he with peculiar spirally twisted horn
al is supposed to have inspired the stol
Of the fabulous Unicorn. America
tn antelope, the prong horn, differs fro
those of the old world in that it shet
he its horns annually as does the dee
he but otherwise conforms to the Afr
en- can and Asiatic species in general a.
all pearances and habits. There are al
m specimens Of the chamols, and MAJ
goats, and deer. Houses and yards f
ay the elephants, hippopotami, tapirs, z
ed bras and American Bison are situat'
on along the road to the north Of t
antelope house.