ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



451 



INDIAN ELEPHANT "GUNDA" IN HIS NEW QUARTERS AT THE ELEPHANT HOUSE. 



Charles R. Knight was so nearlj' equal in 

 merit that it was impossible to choose between 

 them, and for this reason the work was divided, 

 one-half of it being awarded to each. Mr. Proc- 

 tor has executed for the south entrance, two large 

 heads of the Indian elephant and an Indian 

 rhinoceros, while Mr. Knight has modeled the 

 three heads of African elephant and African 

 rhinoceros that ornament the north entrance. 

 All these are fine examples of wild-animal sculp- 

 ture, and well illustrate the extent to which the 

 realism of Xature may be fitly applied to a 

 modern building, in place of the grotesque and 

 conventionalized sculptures that hitherto have 

 enjoyed the favor of architects. I think it is 

 safe to say, in America at least, that the day of 

 grotesque "architectural" animal sculpture has 

 passed. 



The cornice, or frieze, of the main central 

 building of the Elephant House is ornamented 

 by about twenty sculptured heads of the rhino- 

 ceros, tapir and hippopotamus. In the interior 

 of the building, each column in the lines of cage- 



fronts bears a small elephant head, in high re- 

 lief, sculptured in stone. 



Each of the eight immense cages, that are to 

 contain elephants and rhinoceroses, has been de- 

 signed to frame and display its living occupant 

 as perfectly as a frame fits a picture. The 

 vaulted ceilings and large central skylights are 

 particularly well adapted to cages for extra- 

 large animals, and the lighting is quite perfect. 

 The front of each cage — 2-1 feet — is spanned 

 aloft by a single Gustavino arch, and is unspoiled 

 by intermediate columns. Each cage is '21 x 24 

 feet, which is ample for elephants and rhino- 

 ceroses of the largest size. To a height of 6 

 feet the walls are lined with plates of quarter- 

 inch steel ; and nothing less powerful than a 

 locomotive could break through or break down 

 the front bars and beams. The outside doors 

 are marvels of strength and smoothness in action. 

 They are of four-inch oak, reinforced with quar- 

 ter-inch steel plates, and on the inside they are 

 strengthened against attack by three heavy mov- 

 able beams of steel. 



