Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-12
CATCHING ANIMALS FOR THE, CIRCUS
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WASHINGTON. June 1l.-This is the
season when the circus roams abroad
over the face Of the country. waking
the echoes and the late sleepcrs with
its calliope. delighting the small boy
with it's clowns. and stimulating tho
interest of the most bored and sophisti-
Gated with it's Gagged monsters Of the
jungle. There Is something about the
sight of Gagged wild animal that is
Curiousiy fascinating TO civilized
humanity. The big cats--the lions.
tigers and leopards-are sure To draw
the crowd. Strange brutes like the
kangaroo and the giraffe may claim
attention by virtue Of their outlandish
architecture, but the great supple
carnivora with their CLASSY. staring
eyes are sure to be the center Of at
traction.
Where there Is demand there is al
ways supply. and so long as the public
VIII pay It's quarters and half-dollars
TO look ut lion or tiger. 80 long
there will be slcn To risk lives and
fortunes in bringing them lions and
tigers to look at But not one man
in hundred who looks at tho brutes
behind the bars has any idea Of the
labor, the expense and the danger in
volvcd in capturing and caging them.
Tho trapping of wild animals for ea-
hibition purposes is probably the most
hazardous calling and tho ono most
full Of difficulties and disappointmcnts
practiccd to-day. unless II he the train
ing OF those same animals after they
are caught.
Consider comparatively simple and
routine Undertaking in this line such
as the capture Of lions. one OF the
standard commodities OF the wild ami
NAL trade. The dealer must invest u
small fortune In Quitting his expedi-
tion for the African bush. Hc must
hire high pricod men who combine the
training OF naturalists with iron con-
stitutions, the highest degree of cour-
age, the administrative ability ncces-
sary to direct and handle n company
OF hundreds Of natives through months
OF hard work and disbursement, with
infinite patience and determination.
Good collectors Of wild animals are
as rare as good artists, and as much
in demand
Preparedness Is Prncticed.
Before tho main expedition starts. n
small party is generally sent In ad-
vance to prepare the natives and
guard against possible warfare. These
men distribute presents, tell Of the
approaching expedition, and promise
the savages further gifts for co-operR-
ton. In spite of this. the main body
often has trouble with tho people of
the country.
Arrived on tho ground. the trappers
locate their quarry and lay out a plan
of attack. The mere sport of shooting
the African lion, where the hunter
bends his efforts toward bringing down
the game with smashing blows from
tho highest-powered rifle at the great
est possible distance is accounted dam
Eerous enough. The dealer, however,
must get the animal not only alive.
but unnjurcd. In spite of every pre-
caution, large percentage of the
specimens 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 detectives re-
spectively the cubs and the full-grown
animals. Many dealers account the
cubs of-any wild animal more desirable
merchandise than the mature speci-
mons, because the cub is more likely
to 1.-Two and thrive in captivity. a full
grown lion is likely to pine away and
die In confinement even after he is
safely delivered in Europe or America,
or to 1.-Two in continual state of ILL
temper and su1len savagery. Never
theless, many full-grown lions are
taken annually, and the finest spect-
mems probably belong to this class. for
tho beasts seem to attain Il more per-
feet development in the wild state.
Catching Lions In Pits.
The full-Erown lion is trapped in
simple box trap baited with meat or
in n pitfal. The lion is q highly
cautious animal, however,, and will
sometimes sit meditatively In front Of
the door Of baited trap for hours at
a time considering the matter, tanta-
lizing the collector, who Is watching
him through flcldglass. only to think
better of 1t in tho end and walk away
The pitfall is deep. stecp-sided holo
carefully rooted with n frail covering
through which the brute breaks and
falls into the pit below. Such pits arc
dug with great labor. and. while they
are placed in spots which the tracks
show to be frcpuented by tho animals
desired, they often catch nothing.
Once the animal Is caught. no flies
into q frenzy OF fear and rage, which
often results In his in1uring himself
fatally. 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 he carried over
miles on miles of desert. or through
impcnctrablo swamps and jungles to
the sea. lie must be carefully fed en-
route. and IL is n great problem to keep
him healthy In his strange and un-
natural quarters. To be Of any value,
q wild animal must be in excellent con-