454 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



FEMALE INDIAN ELEPHANT "LUNA." 



A SCARED ELEPHANT. 



ON September 1 0th the Society purchased at 

 Luna Park, Coney Island, a female Indian 

 clej)liant tliat is about twelve 3'ears of age, 

 seven feet, seven inciies in height, and weighs 

 4,500 pounds. On September 18th, when that 

 animal became both panic-stricken and contrary- 

 minded, she furnished the most exciting episode 

 that has j'et occurred in the Zoological Park. 

 The members of tlie Zoological Societj' will no 

 doubt be interested in knowing the real facts 

 in this rather remarkable case. 



The causes of "Luna's" mental disturbance 

 lay in the fact that naturally she is of a timid 

 disposition, and was suddenly and without 

 warning taken from her old haunts, from her 

 three companions, and from her favorite keeper 

 at Luna Park, to entirely new surroundings, 

 and strange keepers. 



For nearly a week she endured the change 

 quite bravely, but at last her nerves gave way 

 before a trifling cause. She was frightened by 

 the sight of the pumas in their cage near the 

 Small-Mammal House, wheeled about, and 

 started to find a safe retreat. The open door of 

 the Reptile House looked inviting, and she 



headed for it, taking her two keepers along 

 with her. Of course Keepers Thuman and Bay- 

 reuther did their utmost to restrain her, but she 

 paid no attention to their hooks, and deliberate- 

 ly walked into the building. Evidently she 

 thought it was a barn, and possibly she hoped 

 to find within it the three companions she had 

 left in the big and gloomy elephant-barn at 

 Coney Island. 



The Reptile House contained about fifty 

 visitors, and naturally the siglit of the huge 

 animal walking around the eastern end of the 

 turtle-crawl, created consternation. One woman 

 fainted from fright, and was promptly carried 

 into Mr. Ditmars' office, placed in a chair and 

 revived. Another woman fell while attempting 

 to run away, and cut her forehead against a 

 guard-rail. In a very few minutes the elephant 

 was led out of the building, without having oc- 

 casioned any damage to it, or to any person ; but 

 when she reached the open air she again became 

 panic-stricken. Then, to the amazement of 

 everyone who saw her, she squeezed through the 

 south door of the Tortoise House, and was there 

 found by the Director, trembling with nervous- 

 ness and fright. 



