WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 



the person who had had charge of the animal on tlio 

 voyage it was found that the beast had fed on the offal 

 of sheep, etc. Fearing the animal would die, bread and 

 milk was placed in his cage, and the keeper reported that 

 he partook of this food. Feeling confident that his appetite 

 would soon come round I left for the continent, and on 

 returning ten days after the animal had been in the 

 Gardens I found that he had not taken any food whatever 

 during my absence. Startled at this, my first thought 

 was that he was disgusted by the strong musky perfume 

 of his neighbours, and, calling to mind the story of the 

 nightman, who was seized with a fainting sensation when 

 passing Rimmel's, I determined to have him removed at 

 once to another house and take charge of him myself 

 He was accordingly placed in a large den, his only com- 

 panions consisting of large tortoises that were brought 

 indoors for the winter. Now he had refused pigeon, 

 rabbit, beef, mutton, boiled and raw and chopped in a 

 sausage-machine, and bread-and-milk ; he also declined 

 water, of which he lapped only a little, so a dead Proteles 

 might be shortly expected, but not if I could help it. I 

 had some nice fat tripe well boiled in milk ; cutting up 

 the tripe quite small I placed this tempting dish within 

 easy reach and left him for the night. My early morning 

 call satisfied me that Mr. Proteles had not touched this 

 fresh supply for his supper. Although he had not 

 touched the food for his supper, I called it his breakfast, 

 and, with this thought, I sprinkled him all over with the 

 boiled fat tripe. This interference with the gentleman's 

 coat rather ruffled him, so he began to lick off this 

 offending mixture, and not disliking the taste, swallowed 

 it. At night I repeated the dose as before, and in a few 

 days the beast became fond of the food and fed readily. 



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