Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-06-15
CATCHING WILD ANIMALS
By Frederic ]. Haskin
Continued From Editorial PageI

rare as good artists and as much in
demand.
Before the main expedition starts
small party is generally sent in ad-
vance to prepare the natives and guard
against possible warfare. These men
distribute presents, tell of the ap-
preaching expedition, and promise the
savages further gifts for cooperation.
In spite of this the main body often
has trouble with the people of the
country.
Arrived on the ground, the trappers
locate their quarry and lay out a plan
OF attack The mere sport of shoot
ing the African lion, where the hunter
bends his efforts toward bringing down
the game with smashing blows from
the highest powered rife at the great
est possible distance is accounted dan
gerous enough. The dealer, however,
must get the animal not only alive, but
uninJured. In spite of every precau-
uon a large percentage of the speci-
mems caught die after capture, through
the furious struggles that they make
for liberty. This represents one of the
heaviest items of loss in the business,
for many trader has spent thousands
of dollars securing his animals and
thousands more in caring for them in
transport only TO have them die before
they can be put on shipboard.
There are two methods of capturing
lions, having for their objectives re-
spectively the cubs and the full-grown
animals Many dealers account the
cubs of any animal more desirable mer-
chandise than the mature specimens
because the cub is more likely to live
and thrive in captivity. A full-grown
lion is likely to pine away and die in
confinement even after he is safely de-
hvered in Europe or America, or to
live in a continual state of ill-temper
and sullen savagery. Nevertheless,
many fuLtgrown lions are taken an
nually, and the finest specimens prob
ably belong to this class, for the beast
seems to attain more perfect de-
velopment in the wild state
The full-grown lion is trapped In a
simple boX-trap baited with meat or
in pitfall. The lion is a highly eau
tious animal, however, and will some
times sit meditatively in front of the
door at a baited trap for hours at a
time considering the matter, tantalizing
the collector who is watching him
through field-glass. only to think bet
ter of 1t in the end and walk away
The pitfall Is a deep, steep sided hole
carefully rooted with a frail covering
through which the brute breaks and
falls into the pit below. Such pits are
dug with great labor. and while they
PioNSN III SpOlS WHICH the tracks
show TO be frequented by the animals
desired, they often catch nothing.
Once the animal is caugh he flies in
to frenzy of fear and rage which Of
ten results in his injuring himself IA
tally. This frenzy is resumed when
the men approach to rope and remove
him, an operation that is obviously of
the greatest danger and delicacy And
once he is trapped, roped and safely
Gagged he must still be carried over
miles and miles of desert, or through
impenetrable swamps and juneles TO
the sea. He must be carefully fed en-
route, and 1t is great problem to keep
him healthy in his strange and un-
natural quarters To be of any value.
wild animal must be in excellent con-
dition when he is delivered to the cir
Gus or zoo. The losses are heavy enough
even among healthy animals.
The problems of transportation are
not so bad in the case of the hunting
cats as in those of some of the bigger