186 
ALMOST HUMAN 
DISAPPOINTMENTS. 
People often wonder why certain animals are not to be seen at Zoo- 
logical gardens, for they think that surely a really representative collec- 
tion of all the better known animals should be on view. They little know 
the anxiety and disappointments that fall to the lot of the officials through 
the extraordinary accidents and illnesses that befall their charges. After 
the myriad troubles of acclimatisation are over, valuable and rare ani- 
Too sick to be bothered. 
mals sicken and die mysteriously, and they will sometimes be found dead 
without apparent cause. They feel the variations of the weather most 
acutely, and a sudden change may mean a sharp and quickly fatal attack 
of pneumonia, the disease most dreaded of all ailments by those in charge 
of captive beasts. Besides being peculiarly addicted to this most deadly 
of diseases, wild animals often contract incurable sicknesses from the 
simplest causes. The uncommon and attractive white camel in our illus- 
tration was one of these bitter disappointments. She was expected to 
become a prime favorite with old and young alike, and when her baby 
