NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 75 



It is by no means the intention of the Zoological Society, 

 that, because an axial walk leads through the Elephant 

 House, the building shall be used as a thoroughfare for foot 

 traffic between the northern and southern portions of the 

 Park. Such use would surely defeat the main purpose of 

 the structure. It is intended to be entered only by persons 

 ivho desire to see the animals, and all others must pass around 

 it, by one or the other of the two very direct promenades 

 which will be provided. The employees of the Park are 

 strictly forbidden to consider the walk through the build- 

 ing as a convenient highway, and visitors are requested to 

 observe the obvious necessities of this case. 



The Indian Elephant, (Elephas indicus), is the universal 

 elephant of captivity, the African species being known only 

 as a great rarity. For every elephant that comes from 

 Africa, about thirty come from India, and of those about 

 twenty-nine are prosy and unromantic females. In order 

 to secure a male Indian Elephant, it must be specially 

 ordered. 



Our first Indian Elephant, a fine male named "Gunda," 

 was caught wild in the interior of Assam, northeastern In- 

 dia, and he arrived at the Zoological Park in May, 1904, 

 as the gift of Col. Oliver H. Payne. He was then about 

 seven years old. He stood 6 feet 7 inches in shoulder 

 height, weighed 3,740 pounds, and had all the points of a 

 "high-caste" elephant. His tusks were then 16 inches long. 



When he reached the Park, his education was nearly all 

 before him, but he was trained so rapidly that on August 

 14, 1904, he began to carry visitors, and thus far has never 

 made a mistake. On all afternoons, when the weather is 

 sufficiently warm, he may be found at the riding-animals' 

 stand, near the Flying Cage, on duty ; and he appears to 

 enjoy his work. Although very mischievous about break- 

 ing anything in his quarters that is breakable, he is by 'no 

 means bad-tempered. Like most Indian elephants, "Gun- 

 da" is very intelligent. In two days he was taught to 

 receive pennies, lift the lid of his "bank," drop the coin 

 within, "and ring his bell. 



Since his arrival here, in May, 1904, he has grown in 

 height at the rate of about 5 inches each year. On April 1. 

 1907, he stood 7 feet T 1 /^ inches in shoulder height, his weight 

 was 6,200 pounds, and his tusks were 2S l /o inches long. 



The Sudan African Elephant, (Elephas oxyotis, Matschie), 

 is the largest of the four species of African elephants now 



