Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-17
ors Who Know Animals Required When Zoo Has Patients

mouthful of approximately 100 fine
teeth like tiny fish bones. These nee.
dlelike teeth point inward and aid the
reptile in sharing and devouring its
food. Sometimes a few of the teeth
become loose and produce q condition
known as mouth canker." The only.
effective remedy Is to extract the
loose teeth and to wash out the rattle
snakes mouth with boric acid solu-
ton. The snake Is held by the back
OF the neck during this operation and
the doctor" has to exercise special
care to escape decorations from the
sharp teeth and fangs.
n
COME day during one Of your trips
to the National Zoo you may
come across Federal taxidermists and
animal sculptors mounting the skins
of wild beasts on cleverly made plaster
models. These artists, who use ma
tural history specimens as their mod.
els. study the captives in their steel
bound cages and make effigies for the
National Museum exhibits.
In the pioneering da 8 of taxidermy
masters of that art were for the most
part expert upholsterers. They stuffed
the skins Of wild animals which were
shot by Government hunters and
scientists with excelsior, hair. sawdust
and cotton. The resultant exhibits
were good dummies and caricatures.
but 1t was usually difficult for a man
| familiar with the grizzly bear to recog-
nize his museum likeness.
| Under Government supervision the
| taxidermist's art developed measur-
ably. Taxidermists delved into the
science of animal anatomy. They
made hollow plaster figures OF Jungle
country beasts. After they mounted
the skins on these models the arti-
fetal lions. tigers and leopards were
lifelike enough to fool timid specta-
tors and brighten them away.
National nimrods who explore dark
est Africa or interior India shoot many
native animals and send their pelts
tn Washington to he mounted as
museum specimens. These skins run
the gamut of wilderness animals. In
Guiding wolf, leopard, kangaroo. Hon
leer, goat, antelope. tapir. WHO morse
md gorilla pelts. Sometimes the TAX
iermists who have to mount the tro
of such species. They have to go oN
The pictures, scientific descriptions am
carcass measurements sent In by tnt
| National Museum or Smithsonian
sharnshooters. If there are similar
animals at the Washington Zoo. tn'
modelmakers hurry there with tneh
riddles and find satisfactory answers
in studying the captive beasts IN tneh
cages, pens and dens.
| Stunt. Blackburn has mastered many
| NJ the technical mysteries OF ANNA
surgery during his many years e1 1po
rience with circus exhibits ana zoo
IooicaI collections. On various occa
sions he has set the broken bones o.
deer and buffalo in plaster OF parE
"a sts. so that the fractures nave KNIT
ted Satisfactorily and the herbivorou'
animals have regained full use OF thef
| legs. A..
Yhe nails, hoofs and claws OF tn
| animal fair have to be cut ana NAM
cured regularly by the attendants uh
less the beasts are able to keep tneh
in normal condition by Ordinary Wea
and tear. The nails of such big gam'
animals as wildcats. leopards. pumas
and panthers get so long that they
grow back into the flesh and become
very painful unless clipped in time by
the keepers The large animals nave
to be roped and thrown when 1t comes
time for their semi-annual manicure.
The attendants use special primers
clippers and shears in carving away
the surplus nail growth.
It Is one of the queer quirks OF rate
that the tropical and semi-tropicai
birds which learn to talk are yet un-
able to tell their attendants about the
ills and pains which they sometimes
suffer. These birds talk merely as
imitators and never acquire the ability
to express their thoughts In words.
The proficient keeper recognizes the
ailing bird by it's appearance and ac-
tions. II the bird has sore leg or foot,
it favors the injured member. II
there Is something wrong with wing
it droops.
You would naturally imagine that
the elephant or hippopotamus would
be the largest eaters and the most
costly beasts to feed. Curious to re-
late, the adult sea lion, weighing about
400 pounds. is the champion gourmand
and glutton Of the Zoo population. An
adult sea lion will consume rs pounds
Of fresh fish daily. costing to cents
a pound. Compared with Mr.. Sea
Lion. the ration of h-ton hippo"
is a dainty repast. consisting az 1t
does of two buckets of grain, bran
and chopped vegetables and an armful
| OF hay.