Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-06


He acted if he knew I was his friend
and would protect him." said Mr.. Black lrne,
but never believed in putting too much strain
on friendship. So, once within easy reach Of
that door, 1 made q flying leap and slammed
shut the protecting bars"
Mr.. BLACKBURNE has another story about
lion who displayed real friendship. He
was born in captivity, raised a baby's bottle
and had for a playmate a big domestic house
cat" said Mr.. Blackburne, land he the
most lOVable animal ever knew. He used
TO let me put my head in his mouth, without
harming q hair. And, what is more astound-
ing he the only lion ever knew who
would pay the slightest attention to a human
while he was eating. When I appeared he
would leave his dinner-the choicest reddest,
raweSt chunks of meat-and come to the bars
to rub against me and lick my hands. 1t
sounds like a simple thing, but really it's won
derful to any one who knows animals for they
more or less ferocious when they eat"
Then after years of friendship, this lion was
exchanged. A year or more passed before MI.
Blackburne him again. Then, being in
the same city, he went out to his old friend.
II feeding time. The lions were nerVoumay
pacing their cages the crowd pressed against
the railing, waiting to see the feast. From the
midst of the crowd the visiting trainer called
the lions name-called again and waited. The
restless pacing stopped: the lion looked out
the crowd and shifted. Then the old-time
meowing began, and kept up until his old friend
had come up against the bars. There the lion
stood and joyously licked his former trainers
hands paying not the slightest attention to
his portion of meat when it pushed through
the bars
Tor 10 years Mr. Blackburne travelled over
the United States, through England and
the rest of Europe with the circus. Then
inconsistencies took possession of him, and just
when Congress was enacting legislation TO eS-
tablish National Geological Park in Washing
ton the man for the job" came home
sulphur cuckatoo, a few parrots
four bears, three wolves, one puma, some prairie
dogs and four five monkeys comprised
the little cavalcade that William Blackburne
marched bravely out to Rock Creek Park from
the back yard of the Smithsonian Institution
In 1891. Out to the place where he des-
tined to become the keeper of one of the
worlds leading Zoos; where the collection of
animals was TO grow to include 5000 birds, rep
tiles and mammals; where great paddocks and
ranges were to be built for buffalo and deer and
other large mammals; where lakes and pools
were to be dug for waterfowl and seals and
beavers; where towering outdoor flight cages
were to climb upward over treetops, to accom-
modate great condors and eagles and other
larger-sized hardy BIRDS while shelter houses
for species requiring warmth and special care
were to spring up all over the wooded hillsides
In that vast natural park
So well has he builded from such a small
beginning that every year now 5000 900 men,
women and children visit the Zoo. And this
years SO, SS6 students in organized classes from
497 different schools have come to study zoology.
He has travelled over the world acquiring
animals to bring the Nations collection to its
present size. The other day he recalled trip
be made to Africa IN 1918 to purchase some
animals from the Egyptian government.
THE animals Uncle Sans one-time circus
man brought back to America included
elephants cheetahs, an Arabian baboon,
camels and several antelopes-in all, 26 crates
OF animals. And despite seaSickneSs and the
hardship Of unaccustomed travel, every ami
NAL survived that long trip from Cairo 70
Washington.
The years that he has spent at Rock Creek
Park also have brought their adventures their
stories. Almost daily he has had to meet
emergencies, many of which brought unexpected
danger. And many of those emergencies have
been conquered with characteristic Backburne
ingenuity.
There was the lady hippopotamus with her
temper tantrumS. The favorite paStime Of
Mrs. Hippo was to tear long gashes in the
tough hide of Mr. Hippo every time they dis
agreed. And, judging from the poor fellows
appearance Che looked like a cross-patch ouilt)
they disagreed pretty often. But Mr. Black.
burne fixed Mrs. Hippo. He tied open her
huge mouth and filed off the sharp points of
her teeth until they were rounded and dull
and harmless.
But whether it is orthodontia or just plain
dentistry, this resourceful keeper meets every
emergency. The extraction of teeth is a COM
mon practice at the Zoo, but it is a rare occa-
sion when the pulling of tooth is actually
welcomed. However such an experience was
witnessed not long ago. The Bengal tiger, a
tawny, handsome beast had the toothache and
he paced back and forth shaking his massive
head from side to side like great pendulum
To rope and tie this struggling animal Sc