Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-01
SEAL|ONAT zoo
GETS new SPOUSE
Mr.. ZaIophus' Confidence IN
Himself Restored by Re-
neWaI of His Harem.


The gentleman zalophus at the zoo
has been obliged to exist for the last
six months under conditions which
are considered hardly respectable in
the traditions of his family--with only
one wife.
AS a. lion without his harem soon
becomes a disconsolate creature. In
his native haunts off the Pacific
beaches he usually has from five to
eight wives and only the social cast
offs of the tribe get along with less
than four.
The polygamy of the animals Is rec.
ognizeu in all ZOOS. In order to keep
them successfully in captivity IL IS
necessary 20 copy from nature and
give one OF them enough wives SO
that he will feet respectable and not
pine away from detection.
At the Washington zoo the big male
never has been left Intentionally with
out two wives. Last Spring, however,
the favorite of his narem died OF
pneumonia, leaving him with only
one. He felt the disgrace deeply Or
dinarily he is vain and sporty lel'
low who takes delight in the adnlira'
ton of crowds as he Irohcs in the sun
shine He Is an intelligent beast, In
love with life,
But a sea lion without his harem ~
like a man without money. he loses
his self confidence. tie gets an n.
ferioraty complex, decides that the
world Is down on him. that every
mans hand is against him, ana tndt
the only peace and comfort y 10 pe
found in the grave.
The one wife left him was OF i1ttle
comfort to him She was shy crea'
ture, feeling keenly herself the AIS
grace of monogamy and forever
haunting him with IT.
Shrewistly she charged him with De-
ing an immoral, worthless cuss. tnus
to have deserted the traditions OF MS
fathers, She hid under the rocks ana
sulked. The pool was a sulking
But now the sea lion is frolicking
again. He has been restored TO re-
spectability by the purchase OF an
other wife from the geological gar
dens OF San Diego, Cal, and Is frol-
licking gaiIy once more. The add
ton to his harem, introduced into the
pool last week, lis still shy and home
sick but her mere presence has re-
stored his confidence. He looks upon
her proudly as she sleeps on the
rocks He turns somersaults again In
the water and tries to attract the al
tention of spectators.
Zoo officials say II will be several
weeks before the new arrival will
Join fully In the activities of the
family. Just now she viii not enter
the water.
The female sea lion Is not the only
creature getting accustomed to life
at the ZOO this week. The most
notable of the others is a margay. a
Yucatan wild cat, ID months old.
The cat, which is rare in collections,
had been kept as a pet in Wash
ington family until its claws became
too long for comfort, when 1t was
presented to the zoo. 1t is still very
tame and playful.
Other new arrivals are three baby
beavers, born to. a beaver couple
which came to the park only last
year. These are handsome. frolic-
some little balls of fur, but, unfor-
tunately. cannot be seen by most Wis
itors. The parents bring them from
the lodge, which opens under water,
only at dusk, so that only zoo at
tendants can watch their play.
When they were first born they
were brought out only at night.
Their appearance during the last
hours of daylight indicates that they
are past their cradle days.