NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK HOLLISTER 259 



their range, it is easy for the well-informed animal lover to feel 

 satisfied that the life of a contented, breeding family of animals 

 in a zoo paddock is preferable to a fearsome struggle against un- 

 beatable odds and certain extermination in a wild state. 



BEHIND THE SCENES IN THE ZOO 



Almost everyone is familiar with what is to be seen in the zoolog- 

 ical garden from without the guard rails. Something of the activi- 

 ties behind the scenes may be interesting. Take, for example, the 

 cook house. Here the chef in charge gives out to each keeper the 

 ration for the day: Hot boiled rice from the fireless cooker for 

 the morning feed of the monkeys; specially baked bread for the 

 bears, carefully taken from the rack of day-before-yesterday's 

 baking; hard-boiled eggs, fruits, vegetables, milk, meats, and fish. 

 With about 1,700 animals of nearly .500 different species to care for, 

 the head keeper and the property clerk must supply the chef and other 

 assistants a great variety of foodstuffs. While hay, grain, and 

 meat naturally form the great bulk of this provision supply, most 

 of the articles of food used in the average home are at some time, 

 even if only in small quantity, used for the animals in the zoo. 



A large garden, operated in connection with the park, supplies 

 kale, spinach, lettuce, Swiss chard, and beet tops. The lawn clip- 

 pings are all eaten by the ruminants and waterfowl, and trimmings 

 from trees — the leaves, bark, and small twigs — are used by the brows- 

 ing animals. An orchard has been set out and it is expected that 

 soon all of the apples that can be used will be grown in the park. 



Each man in charge of some special kinds of animals visits the 

 food house and sees to the proper preparation of the day's food for 

 his charges. The meat is cut, fish trimmed, vegetables, fruits, and 

 stale bread chopped in electric choppers; bone is ground. Almost 

 any kind of food may be requisitioned by the keepers in an emer- 

 gency. One keeper in charge of the ostrichlike birds was having 

 difficulties with a sick cassowary. All food was refused by the bird. 

 The keeper, a man of great experience, asked for a few pounds of 

 Malaga grapes. These were promptly supplied, the patient was 

 pleased, and a rare specimen worth many hundreds of dollars was 

 soon " back on his feed " again. 



The market truck visits the wholesale market of the city early 

 each morning, returning to the park about 10.30 a. m. The special 

 requirements for the day, which may include almost any delicacy, 

 even to Malaga grapes or oranges, are included with the regular 

 day's supply of perishable staple foods. 



Some of the animals must be fed several times a day; some, like 

 the lions, tigers, and other big cats, only once a day six days in the 



