HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 
Hamlin's J&*na0*rw J$taaa*;tttt. 
Published on the 15th of each month. 
Editorial and Business Office (pro tern) : — 
221, ST. GEORGE'S STREET, LONDON, E. 
Telephone: Avenue 6341. 
Telegrams: " Hamlyn, London Docks, London." 
Advertisement Rates, very reasonable, on application. 
The Editor will be glad to receive for publication articles 
and all interesting photos, the imports and exports of all 
stock, and foreign adventures with all wild stock. 
contains a fine, tall guanaco or wild llama. The 
docile-looking creature moves to and fro, behind 
the bars, keeping his eye on us, and pursing his 
mouth the while. Suddenly Mr. Jamrach says, 
"Look out, he's going to spit !" and we all duck 
in different directions with great celerity — only 
just in time. The intelligent quadruped has con- 
ceived a prejudice against the shape of somebody's 
hat, or the colour of somebody's tie, and expresses 
it by spitting, with much force and precision, at 
the offender's face. 
A large increase in the general chatter and 
growl around us announces the approach of an 
attendant with food. The emus and cassowaries 
stretch their long necks as far between the bars 
as possible, and the pelicans and cranes yell agon- 
isingly. A large black panther throws himself 
against the bars of his cage, and gives voice 
unrestrainedly. In contrast to these, the domestic 
cat of the establishment follows the man's heels, 
with much tender purring and a sharp eye to any 
stray fallen morsel. There are other cats here in 
cages — cats too valuable to be allowed to run loose 
— magnificest Angoras and Carthusians, who rub 
their heads against the wires, and, as we approach 
extend their paws in an appeal to be noticed and 
petted. 
We are promised an interesting feeding sight 
downstairs, and we descend to the ground floor. 
Among the more risky speculations of the com- 
mercial naturalist are the alligator and the croco- 
dile. They will sulk and go into a decline on the 
least provocation or without any provocation at all, 
and, being expensive to begin with, often prove 
awkward losses. They almost invariably sulk at 
first, we are told, and, refusing to take food, would 
be likely to get into a bad way unless cured; and 
the curing of a crocodile's sulks is a surprising 
things to see. We find, on reaching the ground 
floor, poor crocodilus laid by the heels and per- 
fectly helpless, lashed immovably to iron rings 
asd posts. His head is ignominiously sat upon 
by a sturdy man in shirl sleeves, who presently 
pokes the end of a crowbar among the big teeth, 
and forcibly prizes I he mouth open into that posi- 
tion of comprehensive smile so familiar to the 
readers of children's natural history books. Then 
another man kneels before the unfortunate reptile 
and feeds him. That is to say, he takes a lump 
of meat weighing five or ten pounds or so, and 
dexteriously pitches it into the aesophagus, after- 
wards firmly and decisively ramming it home with 
a long pole. This is the dinner of all naughty, 
sulky crocodiles, and, after having it served in 
this fashion regularly four or five times, the victim 
gives up sulking as a bad job. He will have to 
swallow, it one way or another, he argues within 
himself, and in that case he may as well take it 
without being tied up, anl sat upon, and insulted 
generally; besides which, he may as well enjoy the 
flavour as swallow all those eatables without tast- 
ing them. Whereupon he reforms and becomes a 
respectable crocodile, taking regular meals, and 
is in time promoted to the Zoological Gardens or 
a respectable meagerie. 
This and other things we see, and we have it 
explained how dangerous animals are transferred 
from cases to permanent cages, and back again. 
To transfer a savage panther or tiger from a case 
to a cage is not difficult. Certain of the bars of 
the cage are raised, the case is put opposite the 
opening, and the side removed. Seeing an open- 
ing, the captive jumps at it, and the bars are at 
once shut down. But to tempt him back again 
into a case, when he has become to some extent ac- 
customed to his quarters, is not always so easv 
a thing. Carefully baiting the case with food 
usually has its effect, if circumstances permit wait- 
ing; but, if not, recourse has to be had to smoke. 
A litttle damp straw thrust between the bars and 
lighted soon makes the lair uncomfortable, and 
then ensues a scene. Eyes gleam, and teeth gnash 
from obscure corners, and presently, with a bound 
and a well, the powerful beast dashes through the 
opening into the case, and is secured. It may be 
easily understood that any little clumsiness or mis- 
take at the critical moment might lead to the case 
being overturned in the rush, or improperly closed. 
Then, with a tiger or black panther worked to the 
highest pitch of frenzy by the fire and sloke, some 
lively adventures would probably take place. 
And so we reach the door into Britten's Court, 
and, with cordial thanks to our entertainers for a 
most pleasant and instructive afternoon, emerge 
into Ratcliff Highway, with its dock labourers, 
its sailors' boarding houses, and its slop-shops. 
(The End.) 
THE SPOTTED PANTHER BIRD. 
By Frank Finn. 
Many birds have been remarkablj unlucky in 
their names; I think everybody who has seen 
them alive, or even stuffed, in say nothing of 
leading about them, will agree that i| is the Hum- 
