OF WILD ANIMALS 33 



la 1902 there was a startling exhibition of monkey language 

 at our Primate House. That was before the completion of 

 the Lion House. We had to find temporary outdoor quarters 

 for the big jaguar, "Senor Lopez"; and there being nothing 

 else available, we decided to place him, for a few days only, 

 in the big circular cage at the north end of the range of outside 

 cages. It was May, and the baboons, red-faced monkeys," rhe- 

 sus, green and many other of the monkeys were in their out- 

 side quarters. 



I was not present when Lopez was turned into the big 

 cage; but I heard it. Down through the woods to the polar 

 bears' den, a good quarter of a mile, came a most awful uproar, 

 made by many voices. The bulk of it was a medley of raucous 

 yells and screeches, above which it was easy to distingmsh the 

 fierce, dog-like barks and roars of the baboons. 



We knew at once that Lopez had arrived. Hunying up to 

 the Primate House, we found the wire fronts of the outside 

 cages literally plastered with monkeys and baboons, all in the 

 wildest excitement. The jaguar was in fuU view of them, and 

 although not one out of the whole lot, except the sapajous, 

 ever had an ancestor who had seen a jaguar, one and all recog- 

 nized a hostile genus, and a hereditary enemy. 



And how they cursed him, reviled him, and made hideous 

 faces at him I The long-armed yellow baboons barked and 

 roared until they were heard half a mile away. The ugly- 

 tempered macaques and rhesus monkeys nearly burst with 

 hatred and indignation. The row was kept up for a long time, 

 and the monkey language that was lost to science on that 

 occasion was, both in quantity and quality, beyond compare. 



Bear Language. In their native haunts bears are as lit- 

 tle given to loud talk as other animals; but in roomy and 

 comfortable captivity, where many are yarded together, they 

 rapidly develop vocal powers. Our bears are such cheerful 

 citizens, and they do so many droll things, that the average 

 visitor works overtime in watching them. I have learned the 



