BOTANIC GARDEN MENAGERIE. 135 



When the Gibbon (Hylobates) was proudly giving its 

 well-known solo in its best style to an audience of globe 

 trotter's, one mistaken individual rushed wildly into the office 

 to say that the monkey was in great pain and making a great 

 crying. On another occasion a lady wanted someone to be 

 prosecuted because a fine tigress called regularly at sundown, 

 and she thought it must be ill. Others whose idea of the shape 

 of a living tiger was based on a badly stuffed Museum specimen 

 think that a tiger whose body is not like a bolster must be 

 starved, whereas a tiger is almost a greyhound among cats 

 when in good condition. 



As a matter of fact animals as a rule not only become quite 

 accustomed to captivity in a very short time, but usually prefer 

 it to a wild life. They get their food regularly and without 

 having to hunt for it and can spend the rest of their day playing 

 about or sleeping. Animals which have been in cages for quite 

 a short time are helpless when they are turned loose or escape. 

 People who have kept pet monkeys and on going home wish 

 to get rid of them sometimes turn them loose in the Garden 

 Jungle to join the other wild ones, which is as considerate 

 as to send a child away to find and make friends with a tribe of 

 savages. The monkeys thus released dare not go near the wild 

 ones, do not know how to get food, otherwise than by going to 

 the nearest house where -they sometimes arrive in a starving 

 condition. Some pelicans presented to the Gardens after re- 

 maining in an enclosure for less than a day, were put on the 

 Garden Lake, where were plenty of fish. They got off the 

 Lake at once and stood on one of the roads napping their 

 wings and opening their beaks at any carriage which came 

 by to the alarm of the horses. Then they walked straight back 

 to the enclosure and waited outside the door all night till 

 the keeper returned and let them in. Some phalangers which 

 escaped one night were very puzzled what to do. All but one 

 sat on the top of the cage all night. The remaining one ram- 

 bled aimlessly along the path where it was found next morn- 

 ing. Squirrels , musangs, and such small animals if they 

 escape usually take to the woods naturally, but often remain 

 near the cages for a long time before they disappear. If an 



R A, Sue* No. 46, 1906. 



