Menagerie A menagerie was a collection of captive , exotic animal s . In the 2150s , Doctor Phlox kept a " little menagerie " aboard . ( , " et al . " ) On planet Talos IV , the planet ' s Talosian inhabitants had a menagerie which was actually an elaborate test devised by them to evaluate the intelligence and resourcefulness of specimens of intelligent life they had collected . The Talosians ' ultimate aim was to find a species that could be bred to serve them by recolonizing the war - ravaged surface of their world . Test subjects were kept in small cells with large observation panels and fed with synthetic food . The Talosians were able to test the subjects ' responses by a series of illusions and telepathic tricks . It was hoped that subjects would discover a way to escape from their cage and make their way to the surface to begin cultivating it . Captain Christopher Pike of the was imprisoned in the menagerie in 2254 . Although he was able to " pass " the Talosians ' test and escape to the surface , the Talosians came to the conclusion that Human s ' hatred of captivity made the species unsuitable for their needs . ( ) Appendices . Background information . In the story outline for " The Cage " ( as reprinted in " The Making of Star Trek " , pp . 47 - 65 ) , a production note instructed that the corridor of enclosures imprisoning various specimens was to be " staggered so that we can see little of the others . " The story outline , in which the " Enterprise " s commanding officer was Captain Robert April , also detailed the contents of April ' s particular " cage " , including a water container that was light enough for April to hold in one hand . " " In addition to the water container , " " the story outline stated , " " April ' s cage contains a spongelike epiloid that can serve as a bed , covered with a filmy metallic blanket ; a decorative pool of surging water that has something of a splashing fountain in the center – the enclosure spotlessly clean and bare , utilitarian but not unattractive . There are no visible exits or ingresses , no crannies , no holes – April is hopelessly trapped . " " ( " The Making of Star Trek " , p . 51 ) After describing " a sponge - like plastic shape " inside Pike ' s cage as " apparently some kind of a bed , " the script went on to detail the area as " " A spotless utilitarian enclosure , containing the odd - shaped ' bed ' , a filmy metallic - cloth blanket folded nearby , a sanitary free - form pool of surging water and small drinking container . " " The passageway that can be seen through the " transparent paneling " that serves as a wall of Pike ' s cage was described as " " a long corridor faced with similar transparent panels which look into other enclosures . But they are offset from us and we can see only small angled portions of the closer ones down the corridor . " " Matt Jefferies sketched a set design for the Talosian menagerie in which the decision to make the transparent wall from glass can be seen . ( " The Art of Star Trek " , p . 5 ) The corridor outside Pike ' s cell was a forced - perspective set , including angled arches that were progressively smaller , the further they were from the cell . This gave the illusion that the corridor was much longer than it actually was . ( text commentary , TOS Season 1 DVD special features ) The walls of the corridor were lined with tin - foil . ( " Star Trek Memories " , p . 34 ) The transparent walls that provided views of the other enclosures were made from clear plastic . ( text commentary , TOS Season 1 DVD special features ) As evidenced by the call sheets of " The Cage " , the set was built on Desilu Culver Stage 15 .