Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-24
Washington Zoo Owns a
Laughing Hyena That
Observation-Disclosures
Without Horse Sense.
Soko's Relapse to His
Jungle Habits-A Queer
Snake Story.
* itor who happens to meet up
with w. H. Black burne, head

" ltor who happens to meet up
with w. H Blackburne, head
keeper at the Zoo. Mr.. Black
burne is unquestionably in possession
of more f1rst-hand information about
wild animals of all kinds than any other
man in Washington. He might we'll
be referred to as the Father of the
Zoo" having occupied the position of
headkeeper ever since there has been
a Zoo-more than thirty years. When
he first took charge it was a virgin
forest without any buildings, road
ways or fences. The entire collection
one lone elephant. which. in the alb
sence of other shelter, he chained out
in the open beneath big tree during
the summer months.
To this man Blackburne. these hun
dredS of animals are like just so
many children. He studies their per-
sonalities and watches their health as
carefully as though they were real
human beings.
He Never Laughs.
seII7HAT. in your opinion. is the
w most peculiar animal you have
in your entire collection" the writer
asked the headkeeper. Mr.. Black
burne smiled, then chortled. and
finally laughed heartily. before an
swering this question.
The queerest and biggest fool
animal we have here is a Laughing
hyena that never laughs, and hasn't
sense enough to go out of doors when
the door is left open. OF course,
o~d of " n
didn't have sense enough to come in
out of the rain, but I'll bet you never
heard of an animal that didn't have
sense enough to go out of doors IN
either sunshine or rain. Come along
with me and I'll show you the big OPP
portunity this chap is overlooking.
Arriving at a goodsiZed yard at
the rear of the non-laugherS' cage,
the keeper pointed to an open door
leading from the cage to the yard and
said that it had been in wide-open
condition for two summers, but that
Mr.. Hyena wouldn't even venture his
nose beyond it's portals. 1t is quite
evident that such is the case, because
the yard IS overgrown with weeds
foot high.
The writer went inside of the build
ing and took good look at this
strange animal with the smiling pre-
fix to his name, thinking that he
he didn't think it worth while to go
outside in search of more smiles. The
strange animal was as solemn and
smileless as the fellow who placed
big bet on the wrong presidential
candidate.
have the laugh on TINS Laughing
hyena.
Soko's Relapse.
>-oru1rp oontrar nv memher of the
AZoo family is Soko. the eight-and.
a-half-year- chimpanzee lad. When
Soko first arrived at his present home
his keeper endeavored to bring him
up in a gentlemanly manner. He was
carefully tutored in table etiquette
and high-class department generally
Soko was an apt pupil IL was no
time at all until he learned now TO
function at the dinner table as grace
fully and nonchalantly as the leading
Beau Brummell at an afternoon tea.
Tucking his napkin in his shirt front.
he would intelligently gazo at the
menu and scrawl an elaborate order
on a pad of paper. The use of spoons,
knives and forks seemed second ma
ture with him He could ring
bell for the waiter with the same
hauteur as a blase movie idol.
The conventionalities of civilization,
however, ultimately palled on the
restless Soko, the child of the Jungles.
and he suddenly decided to go back
to nature so far as his everyday life
was concerned This was easily ac-
complished by smashing his chair and
table into kindling wood and heaVlng
the table hardware and napery through
the bars of his cage. Soko has as
much strength as two husky black
smiths, and therefore it was no effort
to do a little furniture smashing. -
During the time Soko put on civil
lized airs he made the remarkable
record of never overlooking his glass
but once when filing it from the wa
ter pitcher. The probabilities are
that his record on that score would
have been 100 per cent perfect had 1t
not been for a huge horseffy alight-
ing on his nose at the exact moment
when the glass was full.
When it comes to a real swell meal,
Soko prefers rice pudding to anything
else. If he had his way, he would
never eat anything but that. Bananas,
oranges, baked apples, carrots. sweet
potatoes. bread, eggs and milk are
some of the other articles included in
Soko's daily menu.
< Dainty Appetite.
DID YOU ever see a genet? Its a
IL pretty little spotted animal weigh
ing about three pounds, a native of
the old world. A genet resembles a
haIf-grown kitten. but is much more
attractive. Everybody seems to have
a hankering to twist out the wires of
the cage and cuddle it, but they don't.
AS boarder, the Senet is in a class OF