Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-26
zoo CRATES SEX
HOLDS UP NAMING
Nobody Here Knows Whether
Coming Pet Is Boy or Girl.
Cable Sent Dr.. Mann.

Well, boys and girls. Eleanor"
wrote in this morning with a ques-
ton that the CRATES special secre-
tary at The Star could not answer.
She wanted to know whether the
young daddy-or lady long legs that
Is going to make it's future home at
the Zoo here is a boy or a girl
"Of course" thought the CRATES
secretary. How in the world can
the children pick a name for their
new pet If they don't know whether
it's boy or a girl. Wouldn't 1t be
terrible to call it Agnes, only to dis
cover that it should have been named
Bill"
So the secretary promptly hurried
over to the National Museum to con-
suit DR.. Alexander Wetmore. who is
recognized as one OF the greatest
experts on wild animals In this
country. MIR. Wetmore was busy
studying about the animals of Africa
when the secretary greeted him:
Doctor. here is a letter we got this
morning: Dear editor. l want to help
name the giraffe. Is it hoy giraffe or
girl giraffe? / have to know
Can you answer that question for
Eleanor? I'll bet n lot Of boys and
girls are wondering about that same
problem"
Men Completely Stumped.
Dear me-" DR.. Wetmore thought
out loud. LAS live. don't know. Dr
Mann didn't say. But, Ill tell YOU.
let's call up Head Keeper Blackburn
at the Zoo. What he doesn't know
about CRATES isn't worth knowing"
Two minutes later Mr.. Blackburn
was hearing Eleanor's question over
the telephone wire.
Indeed, ! don't know, doctor. But
what I hope is that DIR. Mann won't
think of bringing back just one
giraffe. II would be much better IL ha,
got the sweetheart or beau-which-
ever it may be-of the one he has cap
tured. Why don't you send him a
cablegramc"
So here Is the message the giraffes
secretary sent to DR.. Mann for the
boys and girls of Washington: rs our
giraffe a boy or girl? Please. hurry
cable reply, care Of The star"
Now. folks, you must not get I'm
patient. DR.. Mann is way out i'm the
savage brush country OF Africa. And
1t may take a number of DAYS for ma
tive runners 10 carry the message 10
him on foot and then bring his reply
back to the telegraph office. Put. once
there. 1t will take only a few minutes
to flash It under the ocean to The Star
office here.
DR.. Mann's big camp is at queer
place called Dodoma. 1t is nothing
but a village of African natives. In
the heart Of the wild Tanganyika ter
ritory. Wild elephants and hungry
lions and wolves and other animals
proWl around it day ami night. But
DR.. Mann is even further away than
that. He is out in the thick brush.
with his three helpers and lot of
natives. where the wild animals are
and where they found and caught the
giraffe.
Long Journey Ahead.
DR.. Mann will probably stay out in
the brush for several more days. try
ing to find a mate for our giraffe be
fore he starts his long dangerous
journey hack to DodOma He is prob
ably 100 miles or more from his camp
now, and it is quite likely he will have
to walk the giraffe every foot OF the
way. That will he hazardous, both for
the giraffe and for DR.. Mann and his
party.
The hunters will have to guard the
giraffe day and night. to make sure
that some hungry lion or other beas,
does not kill it and eat it, Once az
Dodoma they will have n funny little
Single-traCk railroad over which 10
ship the giraffe and their many other
animals to Dar-es-Salaam, the nearest
port on the East coast of Africa
That will be a big job. and tomor-
row we will tell how the hunters
will manage to accomplish it, Just
keep on thinking of good name for
our giraffe. and while we are waiting
for DR.. Mann to send back word
whether it is a boy or a girl we will
learn all we can about CRATES. Then
we, can send our suggestions for
name to the CRATES secretary at
The Star