New-York tribune., 1922-04-23

One Of the tricks to make lion stand
ban, rjdng it as it rolled across The cage
! taught him al FIRST by putting nails in the
bail to keen It stationary. When he learned
70 stand on it with ali four feet | arranged
the nails thai ii would roll an inch or so
Soon he learned to balance tsmsclf. and then
I fixed the ball 50 that it would roN further
He did spenddly until | took all the nails
out. Of course, he toppcd over immediately
and became infurlatod After tnat had to
win his confidence all over again even to get
him to touch the bail with his paw Il was
a matter Of infinite patience and Kindness.
Another lion | taught 10 eat a piece Of meat
which | held in my mouth. It was not dif-
ficult 10 ret him TO eat The meat--or me. too
Tor that mattoa-but it was trick to make
MIN do it daintily. put him with his paws
upon a board which was balanced several
Get from The ground, and taught him to
keep the positions then fed him bits OF
meat from my hand If he became too greedy
md forgot about keeping his paws properly
balanced. he fell over ana didn't get he meat.
When he learned to aibble genty-alwavs
keeping his mind on that loose board
wrapped one end Of the meat in paper and
pat it in ny mouth.
He strained ahead a., much as he dared
and | moved forward. Our eyes met. and
tha: was too ruch for nim He fell over.
But tho next time he kept his eyes on the
meat and his mind on the board and did the
trick successfully. The idea by the way, that
trainer makes his animals obey h,n bv
making them look into his cyes--practca!ly
fascinating them--js rot Nothing makes a
cat animal it,,, -,
to have You stare al him, and they will ALWAYS
glance away. Try it with All ordinary house
cat and sec what happens
My career with Bonavita-and NY career
rs an animal trainer-cane to an abrunt end
fcw months later. i was one of nv duties
with BonaVita, who Was known as the ore
armed Lion tanner, to supcrintend the trans
fer OF the animals from their own cages to
the care
IL dolng this stood in the small passarc-
way of the arena cage, while a negro punk
stood on top of the cage holding the heavy
oarred door, which Slid upward When the
individual cage was in proper position I called
TO the negro to raise the door; and when the
animal had entered the door was closed AGAIN
while another cage was run up.
C"N i''Siib dS 4 IlcUcSS entered the
thinking that she was clear of the door LOT
1t drop. She clear--an but The tin end
OF her tail. She turned in a fash and at.
tackled the thing nearest to her. 1t happcned
to be the writer; and she sunk her teeth into
my thigh. If another lion had been whore
| was standing, she would have attacked him
and we might have mad another frecfor-all
Fortunately. Bonavita was in the cage. and
before the l'oncss had chance to do more
damage he had driven her off.
was carried out and hurried to Bellevue
Hospital, where 7 remained for weeks in dan-
ger of losing my right leg. The doctors were
hna!ly able to it. ] have not returned
TO the game of lion tanning. and doubt if |
ever shall, If l do, it will be as ownor Of
my own troupe, and | Will do my best TO
carry on the traditions which Bonavita renro.
sented He WAS later killed by polar hear
while he was working for the movies in The
West BY polar hesr-sfter the hundreds
OF lions he had handled safely in long wears