Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-10

The large monkey colony at the
Zoo now has an official hostess,
| charged with the duty of making new
arrivals feel at home.
This is a tiny Mona monkey, men,
Der of an African species which was
| born at the park three years ago
and never has known any other sur
roundings. 1t is fearless. lively and
of a very cheerful disposition. Most
| important of all, it is not inclined to
fight.
New monkeys arriving at the Zoo
almost invariably are homesick and
sulky. until they become familiar with
their surroundings. Sometimes their
health suffers badly in the mean
time. 1t is essential to provide them
with experienced cage companions.
The official hostess is credited with
saving the life of one of the most
valuable recent acquisitions, the baby
gibbon from India, lowest member of
the ape family. These animals are
very delicate in captivity and often
die during the first few weeks. But
il they can be gotten over the pre-
liminary period, they are likely to
live for years in perfect health.
Lonesome and Sick.
This little creature, less than a
year old. reached the park lonesome
and sick. He had a bad cold which
| it was feared. would develop into
pneumonia. He would sit hour after
hour in the corner of his cage and
NOPE, refusing food and medicine.
| Outside 1t was cold and rainy, so
| that he could not be given badly
| needed doses of sunshine, and he
| showed all the aversion of human
| babies to cod liver oil.
| First he was given as a cage COM
| panion the gentlest, best-disposi-
| toned monkey in the Zoo, the South
American wooley monkey. But for
some reason the two creatures did
not take to each other. The little
gibbon continued to NOPE. The
wooley monkey was removed and a
| livelier animal, one Of the vervets, was
put in the cage. This animal was
not half the size Of the little gibbon,
but it was afraid of her. She showed
a disposition to bully him and steal
his food. He would run when he
saw her coming.
Then the present companion, also
about half his size, was placed in the
cage. She has acted like a mother as
| we'll as a playmate. The two have be-
come fast friends and the gibbon now
| IS in perfect health. He has become
quite playful and a great chatterer.
Apes Develop Slowly.
All the apes develop quite slowly
and remain in the childhood stage
until they are or years Old. AS
long as they are in good healeh they
continue frOlcsome and as soon as
they start TO NOPE it is a sign that
something is the matter.
The mona monkey will be left in
the cage until the little ape becomes
thoroughly at home, after which it Is
planned to use her to make things
| homelike for other new monkeys.
! An interesting experiment in ami
NAL psychology was conducted at the
zoo yesterday by Stephen Haweis, ar
list OF the Smithsonian Chrysler eX
petition. The material gathered by
this expedition last Summer, in the
Tanganyika province of East Africa
included three olive balloons, among
which was one infant monkey which
was sick when captured. An old fe
male became the foster mother Of the
little animal, protected it from its
tormentOrs among the other monkeys
and nursad it back to health. During
the voyage home the two were allow
ed the run Of the deck.
Wild With Joy.
AT Port Said a pet monkey wal
purchased. that also had the freedom
OF the decks across the Atlantic. Ht
became quite friendly with the othe
two. When they reached washington
they were separated. Haweis yester
day took the baby monkey from III
cage and took it around to VISIT TN
other two. The old female recognized
II instantly and went wild with JOY
The little one, however. barely seem
ed TO recognize its foster mother. IN
! old male showed no recognition. lnl
was taken to show that maternal al
fection. even that Of a foster mother
is strong in this species, but that mer
memories of companionship are shor'
lived.
Another problem of animal psy
cho(ogy which is engaging the MN
, of William H. Blackburn. hea
keeper, is furnished by the rate! o
giant c!vet cat. large member q
the weasel family Due to lack q
space this animal was kept for NOR
+ than six months in the temporar
4 house behind the bird house which
!. closed 10 the public. Two weeks ag
/. an outdoor cage became available an
G he was transferred He has tn
d freedom Of a large yard. But tn
animal who has lived all his life
the open. refuses TO come out {
doors He cannot be expected I
~