-17- 
May 7 - B.A . 
We slept late. Prances and I went to 11.30 Mass at the 
Cathedral, and wandered about the big church afterward, being 
especially interested in the chapel where San Martin is buried. 
A huge marble monument to him with brass plaques testifying to 
his many victories, and his work in liberating Argentina, Peru 
and Ecuador from the Spaniards, was most impressive. A guard in 
navy blue uniform trimmed with red, and a gleaming helmet, was 
standing at attention. 
At 8.30 we boarded the train for Cordoba. It was European - 
type, with rather narrow compartments for two , but clean and 
c omf or table . We had a good ts/ble d’hote dinner (price 3 pesos), 
and went early to bed. 
May 8 - Cordoba 
MIIWMWlMMlffl&llMl IMIl mil II til til I~ mil 
We were met at the station at 8.30 by Mr. Pereya and Mr. 
Bosch of the Cordoba Zoo. As soon as we were settled in the Plaza 
Hotel (a suite of two double rooms with bath for 20 pesos), and had 
had our coffee, we went out to the Zoo. 
This Zoo i s supported by the Province of Cordoba, Formerly 
they received 20,000 pesos a year for animals, but jurat the present 
financial arrangement is that the Province pays the employes and 
buys food for the animals, but any new animals have to be secured 
in any way possible. The entrance charge is 10 centavos. 
Zoological garden and botanical garden are combines, with 
70 species of native plants making a pleasant setting for the animals. 
Approaching the Zoo from the street, one 1'oks down into a deep 
barranca, which forty years ago was a hideout for bandits! It looks 
from the street level like a rather narrow , dusty gully, but as 
one descends the steps one is constantly amazed by the way the 
valley extends between - the eroded hills* conserving moisture so that 
the botanical specimens flourish. The steep cliffs make an excellent 
background for big cages . It almost looks as though no excavating 
at all was necessary for the enclosures f or gnu and lion, simply a 
barricade across the front of a natural proixstxkxx cage, where the 
back and two sides were formed by nature. There are 16 hectares 
in the park, and 20 employes care for the grounds and animals. 
There are 125 species of animals and birds. The rei wile c,> ..lecti on 
is limited to a half dozen snakes, including one of the dark Eunictus. 
There is a large cement-faced pit for lions, and three month- 
old cubs are the third generation born in the Zoo. A huge flight 
cage for vultures and eagles contains the largest artificial (cement; 
tree we had ever seen. The top of the cage is visible from the . 
street level - ballyhoo for the zoo. The collection incluo.es nutria, 
capybara, puma, West African buffalo, a very tame hippopotamus (wr. 
Bosch sat in its mouth, lay on its back;, nilgh&i , vicuna, llama, 
guanaco, douracouli, three brown lemurs, and a pet skunk. -he lEBt 
was one of the small ones native to Argentina, and Mr. Bosch 
