210 THE MINDS AND MANNERS 



animals on the ground that it reveals "no thought," and is 

 only "imitation," is, in my judgment, a very short-sighted 

 student. Maniacs and imbeciles cannot be trained to perform 

 any program fit to be seen. I saw that tried fifty years ago, 

 in "the wild Australian children," who were idiots. The 

 performer must think, and reason. 



Of the many groups of trained animals that I have seen in 

 performances, my mind goes back first to the one which con- 

 tained a genuine bear comedian, of the Charlie Chaplin type. 

 It was a Himalayan black bear, with fine side whiskers, and 

 it really seemed to me absolutely certain that the other animals 

 in the group appreciated and enjoyed the fun that comedian 

 made. He pretended to be awkward, and frequently fell off 

 his tub. He was purposely dilatory, and was often the last 

 one to finish. The other animals seemed to be fascinated by 

 his mishaps, and they sat on their tubs and watched him with 

 what looked like genuine amusement. I remember another 

 circle of seated animals who calmly and patiently sat and 

 watched while the trainer labored with a cross and refractory 

 leopard, to overcome its stubbornness, and to make it do its 

 part. 



Carl Hagenbeck loved to produce mixed groups of dangerous 

 animals, lions, tigers, leopards, bears and wolves. One trainer 

 whom I knew was assisted in a highly dangerous group by 

 a noble stag-hound who habitually kept close to his mastei, 

 and was said to be ready to attack instantly any animal that 

 might attack the trainer. I never saw a finer bodyguard than 

 that dog. 



In 1908 the most astounding animal group ever turned out 

 of the Hagenbeck establishment, or shown on <any stage, 

 appeared in London. It consisted of 7 5 full-grown polar bears! 

 Now, polar bears, either for the cage or the stage, are bad 

 citizens. Instinctively I always suspect their mental reserva- 

 tions, and for twenty-one years have carefully kept our keepers 

 out of their reach. But Mr. William Hagenbeck, brother of 



