710 THE NATIONAL ZOO AT WASHINGTON. 



admiring spectators of his own kind, and why do the fox and the 

 wolverene trot miles and miles of cage front every day? Why does 

 the bear roll and tmnble for hours over the same old wooden ball as if 

 it were a new-found chum; or, if no ball is supplied, swing back and 

 forth on pivotal hind foot for hours each day? Why does the rhi- 

 noceros keep on forever nosing at some projection that his horn can 

 almost fasten under, till it gets more and more elusive through the 

 smoothening of perpetual use ? Why do wolves and monkeys put in 

 hours and hours over humble duties that in their wild state were the 

 work of a few minutes at most ? To all, the answer is the same as to 

 the similar query about the man prisoner. They are putting in time. 

 They are responding to the natural craving for exercise. The}' are 

 trying to pass the tedium of their hopeless lives. The}^ are doing 

 anything — everything — their poor brains can suggest to while away 

 the wear}' drag of dull, eventless days. Their bellies are well cared 

 for, or at least are always plentifully cared for, but how few keepers 

 have learned that in each animal is a mentalitv, large or small, that 

 ought to be considered! 



Here is where Ohnimus scored. He tried to make their lives inter- 

 esting. The excitement of the chase must necessarily be denied those 

 animals whose nature j^rompts them that way, but one of his first and 

 most successful moves was made in consideration of their special case. 

 He divided the single meal of all flesh-eating animals in two; the same 

 in quantity each day, but a light morning meal and a light afternoon 

 meal. Thus, he "gave them something more to think about." It 

 made two breaks in the day's monoton}^, and in time it unquestionably 

 bore good fruit. 



Another variation was made by changing them into new cages. An 

 animal soon learns a cage by heart. He knows every bar and bolt, 

 and every trifling roughness in wall or floor. He can walk to and fro 

 without his eyes if need be. But putting him into a new cage is like 

 opening to him a new life. Everything new and to be learned must 

 naturally create new interests, and be of corresponding benefit, unless 

 it has come too late. 



There is a pathetic story of an old tiger that had passed his life in a 

 traveling cage until in a railway accident his car and his cage alike 

 were overturned and broken open. The tiger was unharmed, and he 

 passed out through the broken grating, and for the first time since he 

 left India as a cub he was free, standing untrammeled, with the whole 

 world open to him. But all his splendid powers were gone or were 

 dwarfed. He seemed appalled by the new responsibilities. After a 

 moment's hesitation he declined the freedom that had come too late 

 and crawled back again into his narrow cage, realizing that this was 

 the only thing that he was fit for now. 



One of the best expedients of all to enliven and brighten the lives of 

 the caged animals is friendship with the keeper. There was no such 



