212 THE MINDS AND MANNERS 



and his bitterness against those polar bears was boundless. 

 I understood that Monk, the wrestling bear, was the assailant, 

 — which was small cause for wonder. When I saw Mr. 

 Hagenbeck's polar bear show, it gave me shivers of fear. The 

 first two big male polars that we installed at our Park came 

 from that very group, and one of them led us into a dreadful 

 tragedy, with a female bear as the victim. 



The So-Called "Trick" Performances. Some psychol- 

 ogists make light of what they call "trick performances," in 

 which the performing animals are guided by signs, or signals, 

 or spoken commands from their trainers. I have never been 

 able to account for this. It is incontestably true that dull 

 and stupid animals can learn little, and perform less. For 

 example, all the training in the world could not suffice to put 

 a pig through a performance that a chimpanzee or orang 

 could master in two weeks. The reason is that the pig has 

 not the brain power that is indispensable. A woodchuck 

 never could become the mental equal of a wood rat (Neotoma). 

 A sheep could not hope to rival a horse, either in training or in 

 execution. 



Really, the brain, the memory and reason must enter into 

 every animal performance that amounts to anything worth while. 

 It is just as sensible to flout soldiers on the drill-ground as to 

 wave aside as of no account a troup of trained lions or sf a-lions 

 on the stage. Any animal that can be taught to perform 

 difficult feats, and that delivers the goods in the blinding glare 

 and riot of the circus ring or the stage footlights, is entitled 

 to my profound respect for its powers of mind and nerve. 



The Sea-Lion's Repertoire. Long ago trainers recog- 

 nized in the California sea-lion (Zalophus) a good subject for 

 the ring and stage. Its long, supple neck, its lithe body and 

 brilliant nervous energy seemed good for difficult acts. The 

 sea-lion takes very kindly to training, and really delights in 

 its performances. In fact, it enters into its performance with 

 a keen vigor and zest that is pleasing to behold. Let this 



