96 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



proached with some apprehension on the 

 part of his trainers, one of whom stood 

 nearby on the platform, ready with a word of 

 warning, command, or encouragement, which 

 was, however, seldom found necessary. 



Eager to do exactly what was expected, 

 Rajah was also apprehensive of this part of 

 the proceeding, as he had been made to un- 

 derstand that the spilling of any fluid from 

 the teapot or cup was highly inappropriate. 

 It was during the pouring operation, when 

 the cup was nearly full, that Rajah often 

 turned toward the keeper to observe whether 

 he appreciated the nicety of the operation. 



Alas ! for this solicitation of approval ; for 

 catastrophe usually followed. Upon direct- 

 ing his attention back to the cup. Rajah 

 sometimes found it overcharged, and the milk 

 being spilled upon the table. His endeavor 

 to quickly right these conditions, and set down 

 his miniature teapot, was always so ludicrous 

 as to be followed by a shout from the crowd, 

 which to Rajah seemed most uncalled for, and 

 elicited from him a solemnly reproachful sur- 

 vey of his audience, terminating in an appeal- 

 ing gaze at his keeper. 



It may surprise the reader to learn that to 

 teach Rajah to execute these various manoeu- 

 vres did not consume many weeks, and that 

 as time went by, his associates, Brunei, Sul- 

 tan, and Sally, were all instructed in table 

 manners. The four dining together in 

 solemn state constituted one of the most 

 amusing and remarkable of simian exhibi- 

 tions. Unfortunately, all of those excep- 

 tionally intelligent apes succumbed to the 

 strange intestinal infection contracted from 

 the big tortoises, which, although involving 

 a great loss to the Park and the public, con- 

 tributed a valuable addition to the records 

 of pathological science. 



At present, the stars of the Primate collec- 

 tion are two orangs and two chimpanzees, 

 Dohong, Soko, Polly, and Peggy. Exclud- 

 ing Soko, the large chimpanzee, thev dine 

 together at a small table, seated in high 

 chairs, and furnish an interesting and amus- 

 ing exhibition. None of these apes, how- 

 ever, exhibit the intelligence of Rajah. Do- 

 hong is the brightest, and Soko the most un- 

 manageable of the four. 



The exhibitions take place daily at three 

 o'clock, in the large outside cage at the north 

 end of the Primates' House. It is then that 

 Dohong and Peggy, the orangs, and Polly, the 



chimpanzee, are dressed and seated at their 

 table. The latter two are still novices in the 

 art of eating man-fashion, and illustrate how 

 these animals are taught to properly spear 

 sliced bananas and the like. By guiding the 

 hand, the fork is inserted in a slice of the fruit, 

 when the remainder of the operation, namely 

 that of conveying the food to the mouth, is 

 enthusiastically accomplished without assist- 

 ance. The little creatures have thus far ac- 

 quired the idea that they must employ the 

 fork in eating, and are struggling to obtain 

 a mastery over the delicacy required in its 

 proper employment. Dohong, however, is 

 more advanced,' and eats with a fork unaided, 

 although his efforts are ofttimes conducive 

 to much mirth on the part of his audience. 

 He is receiving daily lessons, his hands being 

 guided in the proper movements, and alto- 

 gether he promises to be a very bright ani- 

 mal. He was recently initiated into the art 

 of pouring tea into a cup, his hands being 

 guided in the proper movements by his 

 keeper. 



Generally speaking, the training of the 

 orang-utan and the chimpanzee closely ap- 

 proaches the management of an untaught 

 child. These creatures do not seem as much 

 like lower animals as do the majority of the 

 so-called "dumb brutes." Coaxing and per- 

 severance have been responsible for these 

 afternoon exhibitions. 



As time goes by, the mental faculties of 

 these apes will develop, chiefly through the 

 stimulus of training, and association with 

 their keepers. If they are spared by tuber- 

 culosis, the deadly foe of every captive ape 

 and monkey, the development of their mental 

 powers will be watched with continuous 

 interest. 



GENER.A.L INFORMATION. 



Admission to the Park. — On all holidays and on Sunday, Tuesday, 



Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday admission to the Zoological Park is 



( )n every Monday and 1 hursday, save when either of those days falls 

 on a holiday, only members of the Society, and persons holding tickets 

 frum the Society, are admitted free. All others pay twenty-five cents 

 fur each adult, and fifteen cents for each child under twelve years of 

 age. Tickets are sold only at the entrances. 



Admission to the Aquanum is confined tu members on Monday and 

 Thursday from lo A.M. to 12 M. At all other times it is open to the 



Ol'hNiNG AND Closing. — From May ist to November ist the en- 

 trance-gales will be opened at 9 A.M. and closed half an hour before 

 sunset. From November ist to May ist, the gates will open at 10 A.M 



Bicvci.es must be checked at the entrances (five cents). All wheel; 

 not called for half an hour before sunset will be locked up until the fol- 

 lowing day. 



Restairant.— At the Rocking Stone Restaurant meals are served 

 a la carte every day from 10 a.m. to the closing htiur. The North Pa. 

 vilion of this building has a spacious lunch counter, where all kinds o: 

 luncheon food are served at popular prices. 



The South Pavilion will be arranged as an open air dining-room. Thi 

 service will be increased and improved, so that large numbers may bi 

 ser\'ed expeditiously. 



