ZOOLOGICAL SOCILTV BULLETIN 



65 



A TRAGEDY" L\ THE LION HOUSE. 



THOSE wlio are responsil)lc' fur the care 

 and management of wild animals in 

 captivity arc constantly reminded that it is 

 impossible to know what deed of violence 

 an animal is liable to perform, imtil it is 

 actually done. Often the cunning of a caged 

 animal is past finding out, until the event 

 occurs. Then we are all post-mortem philos- 

 ophers. As a particularly striking and pain- 

 ful instance, take the case of " Lopez." the 

 jaguar. 



From the day of his arrival at the Park, 

 last May, " Lopez " has never been one of 

 the snarling kind. On the contrary, he con- 

 stantly manifested what was considered a 

 playful disposition. Most large felines of 

 savage disposition show it by snarling, and 

 charging against their bars. " Lopez," on 

 the contrary, seemed anxious to play with 

 anyone who came near his cage, and had a 

 trick of rolling on his back, with his paws in 

 the air, quite after the manner of a good- 

 natured house cat. 



In Hamburg, a female jaguar, very nearly 

 full grown, was purchased as a cage-mate for 

 him. " Lopez " was the first animal placed in 

 the first finished cage of the new Lion House, 

 weeks before the workmen had completed 

 the other cages. Inasmuch as the female 

 had been six weeks in her traveling cage, and 

 sadly cramped for room, it was decided to 

 place her in the Lion House without delay. 

 In order to ascertain the temper of " Lopez '' 

 toward her, her cage was raised to the level 

 of his. and the two were placed with their 

 bars in close proximity. " Lopez " was 

 greatlv interested by the stranger, and at- 

 tempted to play with her through the bars. 

 She observed him without any manifestation 

 of fear, and seemed to be interested by the 

 prospect of a larger cage, and a companion 

 in captivity. 



For two days the female's cage stood in 

 the position described, and during all that 

 period " Lopez " manifested not the sliglitest 

 ill-temper or displeasure toward the new ar- 

 rival. At the end of that time the Director 

 held, on the spot, a consultation with the 

 keepers, and it was agreed that it would be 

 quite safe to admit the female to the cage of 

 " Lopez." The doors were opened, and 

 without the slightest fear or hesitation the 

 female jaguar walked into her new home. 



Instantlv, the whole nature of " Lopez " 

 changed — or rather, his real nature came to 

 the stirface. His scheming for an advantage 

 had been successfully carried out. With a 

 savage growl, he rushed upon the unsuspect- 



ing female, seized her by the right side of the 

 neck, and held on. biting savagely. l*"rom the 

 first instant, the female seemed utterly pow- 

 erless. ^^'ith an iron scraper, and a hard- 

 wood pole ten feet long, " Lopez " was 

 beaten over the head and prodded in the face ; 

 but he only shut his eyes and tightened his 

 grip on the neck of his victim. In the midst 

 of his punishment, he rose from the floor, 

 carrying the female in his jaws as a cat carries 

 her kitten, and walked to the opposite side of 

 his cage. It was nearly a minute before the 

 savage creature was forced to quit his hold, 

 and resist the attacks made upon him by the 

 keepers. When he released the female, she 

 lay upon the floor, motionless, and in two 

 minutes more was (|uite dead. 



At first it was supposed that one of '" Lo- 

 ])ez"s '' canine teeth had penetrated the jugu- 

 lar vein of his victim : but the aut(5])sy made 

 by Dr. Blair revealed the astonishing fact that 

 two of the neck vertebnx had been completely 

 crushed, and the spinal cord ])enetratcd by 

 fragments of bone. The injury was inflicted 

 by a square bite, with no wrenching, and the 

 murder was fully premeditated. As an exhi- 

 bition of the terrible strength of the jaguar's 

 jaws, it was quite as astonishing as it was un- 

 expected and shocking. As a consequence 

 of this act of treachery, " Lopez " will live in 

 solitude the remainder of his life. 



THE ANTELOPE HOUSE. 



O'X June 26, igo2. a contract was made 

 by the Park Department with Thomas 

 Dwyer, who erected the new wing of the 

 Metropolitan Museum of Art, in the sum 

 of $54,900, for the erection of a large and 

 finelv appointed building for tropical hoofed 

 animals, such as giraffes, .\frican antelopes 

 of everv description, zebras and wild horses, 

 and wild cattle of the equatorial zone. 



The Antelope House is an elliptical build- 

 ing, 142 feet long by 78 feet wide, and is being 

 constructed of buff brick, gray limestone and 

 terra cotta, in the same general style as the 

 other large buildings of the Park. Around 

 its interior walls it will provide a series of 24 

 stalls for animals. 4 of which are very large 

 (19 x 24 feet) and the remainder are of various 

 smaller sizes. From the exterior of the build- 

 ing will radiate a series of open-air yards, 

 adequately shaded by trees, and properly 

 macadamized. 



^^'ork on this building began on August 

 1st. and there is no good reason why it should 

 not be completed and occupied by May i, 

 1903- 



