652 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



"Cache," up to that time a uniformly good-na- 

 tured bear, with or without cubs, — spent many 

 minutes in picking up the peanuts that were 

 thrown to her by Spicer, as he endeavored to 

 thus entice her into the best lighted portions of 

 the cage. 



Without warning, she suddenly rushed at 

 Sjoicer, knocked him down, seized him by the 

 left forearm and at once started to drag him 

 into one of the sleeping-dens. Mr. Sanborn, re- 

 covering from the momentary surprise, dropped 

 his camera, rushed for a club which had been 

 taken into the den and was leaning against the 

 bar-work, and with it dashed back to Spicer's 

 assistance. By that time "Cache" had dragged 

 her keeper almost into the door of the sleeping- 

 den. Mr. Sanborn belabored the bear over the 

 head with the club so vigorously that she quick- 

 ly released her hold of Spicer, and backed into 

 her sleeping quarters. 



Witliout waiting for assistance from without, 

 ]\Ir. Sanborn gave instant attention to the keep- 

 er's badly lacerated forearm, which was bleeding 

 freely. As quickly as possible he tied his hand- 

 kerchief around the injured arm, and with the 

 flow of blood well checked, assisted the keeper to 

 the gate. By that time the door of the den had 

 been unlatched, and one of our soda-fountain at- 

 tendants, William Kansky. after arming liimself 



with a club, pluckily rushed in and rescued the 

 camera. 



Mr. Sanborn's brave attack upon the infuriat- 

 ed "Cache" undoubtedly saved Keeper Spicer, 

 for the bear eridently intended to drag the latter 

 into her sleeping-den. It was a case of brave 

 action, witliout a second's loss of time, and, as 

 stated before, demonstrated the danger of enter- 

 ing the enclosures of wild animals, even for an 

 experienced keeper like Spicer, who knew the 

 animal well and was known by her, and who had 

 entered her cage on many previous occasions. 

 In a previous accident, Mr. Sanborn was the 

 victim, being hurled to tiie ground by an infuri- 

 ated llama, and in an attempt to rescue the 

 camera had his upper lip completely split by 

 coming in contact with the lens barrel. 



Keeper Spicer was immediately removed to 

 the Fordham Hospital, where lie is receiving 

 every attention at the hands of Dr. Alfred S. 

 Taylor, operating surgeon, and Doctors Pace 

 and Black, house surgeons. The bite of the 

 bear inflicted upon the keeper's forearm, two 

 long, ragged lacerations, in which the two main 

 arteries were destroyed. As a result of this, it 

 is now feared that the thumb, and either one or 

 two fingers, will be lost. 



On the whole, the loss of the two blood-sup- 

 plying arteries renders the results of this acci- 

 dent particiiiarl y distrrssiuir, H, I., IX 



"CACHE'S" THREE CUBS. 



