FOOD FOR THE LIONS

No time was lost at the Auckland Zoo on Monday in disposing, of the body of the elephant Rajah, which was shot for bad temper and thus had become a danger to the general public. The taxidermist, Mr. C. W. Dover, assisted, by three zoo attendants, worked all afternoon to remove the bide. Rajah weighed nearly four tons at the time. of his death,. and block and tackle and a lifting jack had to be used to lift his body into a suitable position for the men to start work with their sharp knives, states the "New Zealand Herald." A makeshift screen was erected so that visitors to the zoo might not see the operations. Lions and tigers had elephant-meat for afternoon tea yesterday. The flesh of an elephant is fit for human consumption, but the, African natives and Parisian epicures are the only people known to have a liking for it, and no inquiries were made by Aucklanders anxious to have the experience of sampling an unusual dish. Much work will be necessary before Rajah's hide is ready for the museum. Mr. Dover, who has assisted previously to prepare an elephant for museum purposes, estimates that the work will lake nearly four months.