The New York herald., 1922-11-27
Ditmars Works All Night
and Saves a Prize Of His
Collection.
KING COBRA SHEDS SKIN
Gray Wolves and Coyotes
Howl Winters Approach as
Quarters Are Closed.

When DR.. Raymond L. Ditmars,
curator OF the New York Geological
Gardens, popularity called the Zoo,
slipped his passkey into the front door
of his Scarsdale villa in the cold gray
dawn of yesterday he was so sleepy
and weary that he was ready to drop
All night long he had fought off pneu-
monia from one of the priced posses
sions of the Zoo. the Siberian camel
and hour by hour had driven the sick
beast up out Of the Valley of the
Shadow To put II in the crisp ver-
nacular, young Doc Ditmars was
all in.
Curatoring at the Zoo is a mans size
Job, for If DIR. Hornaday's right bower.
young Ditmars, isn't wrestling with
IL foot king cobras that can't shed their
skins and are ugly and i'll in conse-
quence, he is preventing the unframed
seals from beating 1t for salt water, de-
feating the unbelievable, wiles of the ape
people in the House of the Primates,
carrying bagfuls of assorted snakes as
living illustrations of lectures before
schools and clubs, making elaborate mo-
ton pictures to show how little Bryan
knows about the way the world was
made. manicuring the Bengal tigers toe
nails and painting the zebras with nice
fresh, cleaning black and white stripes
at least every month. Life as curator
at the Zoo is just one jam after an
other.
Camel's Illness Is n Surprise.
Now the Siberian camel from the
cold, wild waste of the eastern Arctic.
is creature that should absorb any
amount Of cold as we know cold. One
would think, as Ray Ditmars thought.
that a mere 81 or 32 above zero would
have been semi-tropical balminess for
Old Supercillosity. Not so.
The first day the cold snap hit the
Zoo Ivan Humpovitch got chill. He
kept on shaking until fever set in. On
Saturday evening they sent for Ditmars
and the veterinarians. having small hope
of pulling the camel through, and for a
matter of twelve hours or so 1t was
nip and tuck. But Ditmars, literally
sitting by the Siberian camel's bedside
(they had taken it into one Of the small
buildings, tucked IL away in a great
mass of warm straw and had spread
besides a lot OF fur rugs and old
blankets over the sick beast), saved its
life.
Camels are reported to be as un-
grateful as republics, but DR.. Ditmars
said last night that as he left the hos
pital he thought he saw a flicker of
thanks in old Humpovitch's eye--just
CLINT of appreciation. AS Ditmars
says, too. one must be satisfied with a
very little reward In the doing of good
works.
DR.. Ditmars had barely finished one
difficult job when the camels misfor-
tune claimed him. Rex. the big king
cobra, the twelve and half foot poison
lance making up probably the wicked
est. most evil looking thing in the
world, came to skin shedding time on
Friday. crisis which always puts the
Zoo on edge.
Hard Task Last Year.
Last year the Enemy of Mankind
COuldnt get MS Olu ClOtbes Oil 10 save
his life. They had to capture the great
cobra Ga fearfully risky job. tie him
down and start the skin going-prac-
tically peel It off-before the situation
was relieved.
They expected to have another rough
and tumble this year, because Rex, with
his cute little habit Of elevating his
spread hood eight feet in the air and
striking like flash of light at the face
OF any one coming near him. is one OF
the most terrible creatures living. The
Zoo was all set for difficulties when, to
cyerybody's amazement, Rex sheds the
old skins as easily as one would peel
a banana, fairly purrs with content as
he admires his cleaning new coat. con-
sents to dine Saturday on five-foot
snake and continued ITO behave himself
Yesterday as II there was real virtue In
him.
The Zoo was going into winter quar-
tcrs Saturday and yesterday. Winter is
here, DR.. Hornaday and DR.. Ditmars
have decided no nonsense about IL. The
more delicate beasts have been shooed
Indoors. Storm doors have been put on
the buildings. Great piles Of straw have
been provided for warm beds. Special
stores OF winter food are being pre-
pared. Last night there was a new note
in the long drawn howl OF the gray
wolves and in the weird ululations OF
the coyotes. They know.