Evening star., 1922-07-16
donarchs of Jungle Mountain and Sea Greet Millions Zoo

| called a mountain lion, in the south
panther. The mountain lion of the
Rockies and the lighter-shaded speci-
men from Arizona both attract
great deal of attention at the Zoo.
| There is smaller spotted and
blotched American cat named the
ocelot, a Canadian lynx. and the bay
lynx or bobcat Another interesting
exhibit is the cheetah or hunting
leopard" This animal has, for many
years, been trained to hunt antelope
and other game. 1t is long limbed
and slender, and resembles in many
| points a dog.
There is an African civet and
| spotted hyena, a large, powerful
brute with jaws and teeth specially
developed for crushing bones. The
hyena at the Zoo likes attention as
much as do movie stars. and appears
| to be extremely happy when throngs
gather in front of his cage and pay
marked attention.
4 4
THE dog family includes the dog,
wolf. fox. jackal and their rela-
tives. Many young wolves have been
reared in the park, those from the
Rocky mountain states being of
greater bulk than their brothers from
the southern part of the country. The
coyote of the west, sometimes called
| a brush wolf. is structurally closer to
the old-world jackal than the big
wolf There are numerous foxes at the
Zoo, but very few of them ever get
over their Unborn timidity. The rae
coons, the weasels, the skunks, otters
and other animals appear to be happy
and contented in their capital home.
| Crowds gather daily in front of the
bear dens and watch the antics of
bruin, for whether he be grizzly, polar
or brown bear, he possesses a sense
Of humor seldom found in other ami
mails. The seals and sea lions, the
former rated as possessing a remark
able mentality. are favorites among
the children, and also attract much
attention from the elder persons.
The marsupials or pouch mammals
form an interesting exhibit. The
newly born young of the larger kan
garoo are no larger at birth than a
baby mouse, but at the time they
first look out of the opening of the
pouch in which the mother carries
| them. some weeks later, they have
grown to a size comparable to ordi-
nary mammals at birth.
A youngster the other day. after
| having watched the kangaroo for a
long time. turned to his mother and
said: Mamma, they didn't finish that
animal in front, cause his front legs
are little bits Of things and his hind
ones are great big ones"
There are many superb birds OF
beautiful plumage. not only in the
birdhouse. but also in the large out
door cage. The ostriches formely at
tracted much attention from the femi-
nine visitors They are not a. close
ly observed now. probably owing to
the fact that ostrich feathers are not.
| at the present writing, the prevailing
style. fa-
AS one walks along. the side of the
pools he can see the picturesque
European famingoes. with their brill
liant coloring; the pelicans, with
their great bills: the black storks, the
| snow goose and the wild fowl of
North America. There are whistling
swans and birds of the same race
| that are mute, and there are South
American screamers and birds of
prey, such as hawks. eagles and vul-
lures. These latter, however, are
confined in wire-netted houses.
THE park contains magnificent
specimens of our national bird, the
bald eagle, showing the transition
plumages from the younger black
ish specimens to the plumaged adult
with white head and tail. The
largest specimens come from Alaska
and the northwest. officials of the
bureau Of engraving and printing
have, for a long time. been trying to
secure a photograph Of the bald eagle,
but so far their efforts have not been
crowned with success.
There are many other interesting
exhibits in the National Zoo. and one
can easily spend days and days in
| viewing this superb collection. Press
agent stories circulated by the pub
licity purveyors of circuses and trav-
cling shows have for years dwelt
upon the extreme old age reached
by elephants. but, according to local
and other authorities. the elephant
lives to be about fifty or sixty years
only. The chief veterinarian of Bur-
ma, who is considered the worlds
leading authority on elephants. gives
as his opinion, gathered from close
study of the pachyderm. that few
elephants live to be over sixty years
of age.
The Zoo is under the direct charge
of N. Hollister. A. B. Baker is assist
ant superintendent and w. H. Black
burne is head keeper. If you have
never visited the Zoo, but feel that
you are too old in years and that
some one may laugh at you and YOU
haven't any children of your own,
borrow some from the neighbors, and
when at night you return to the fam
lily freside. you will be far richer
in knowledge and pleasure than you
were before you visited the beautiful
National Geological Park.
! Real Economy.
animals are re-