208 THE MINDS AND MANNERS 



that hate training and performing. Often a trainer persists in 

 retaining an animal that resolutely should be thrown out. 

 Captain Bonavita lost his arm solely because of his fatal 

 persistence in retaining in his group of lions an animal that 

 hated him, and which the trainer well knew was dangerous. 



While nearly every wild animal can be taught a few simple 

 tricks, the dull mind soon reaches its constitutional limit. 

 Even among the great apes, conditions are quite the same. 

 One half the orang-utans are of the thin-headed, pin-headed 

 type that is hopeless for stage training. The good ones are 

 the stocky, round-headed, round-faced individuals who have 

 the cephalic index of the statesman or jurist, and a broad and 

 well-rounded dome of thought. 



Training for the Ring and the Stage. During his 

 long and successful career as a purveyor of wild animals for 

 all purposes, Carl Hagenbeck had great success in the pro- 

 duction of large animal groups trained for stage performances. 

 I came in close touch with his methods and their results. His 

 methods were very simple, and they were founded on kindness 

 and common sense. Mr. Hagenbeck hated whips and punish- 

 ments. When an animal could not get on without them, it 

 was dropped from the cast. His working theory was that an 

 unwilling animal makes a bad actor. 



There is no mystery about the best methods in training 

 animals, wild or domestic. The first thing is to assemble 

 a suitable number of young animals, all of which are mentally 

 bright and physically sound. Most adult animals are im- 

 practicable, and often impossible, because they are set in their 

 ways. The elephants are monumental exceptions. A large, 

 well-lighted and sunny room is provided; and around it are 

 the individual cages for the student animals. The members of 

 the company are fed wisely and well, kept scrupulously clean, 

 and in all ways made comfortable and contented. When not 

 at their work they are allowed to romp and play together 

 until they are tired of the exercise. 



