A Thunderstorm in a Lion House.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 23, 28 January 1888, Page 3 (Supplement)

A Thunderstorm in a Lion House.

A 1 corebspondent serids the following accou&fcbf mVexperierices inthe.Zoological Gardens during1 atbundreretorm to the " Pal? Mall Gazette :"—" Chance took me to the grounds of the Zoological Society yesterday evening, and after a stroll around I had just time to slip into the building known as the Lion House, where-also are the tigers, jaguars, arid leopards, when the 6torm; burst in all its fury. In the waning light the situation was anything but agreeable for the little band of belated visitors, most of them without umbrellas, the rain poured down'with such violence that the floor of the place was soon covered, owing to the presence of various overflow pipes which dis-charged-themselves inside the building. The flashing of "the HghtnittgTvas incessant, and the roar of the thunder simply deafening. As each' flash lit up ! fehe dim recesses of the cages, the eye lighted upon the savage forms behind the bars. Here was a lion standing up with hiscears pricked, as though the clamour of 'the elements' brought back tp his mind dim memories of a time when he prowled the forest arid shrank from the savagery, greater even than his own, 'of a tropical storm. Two leopards who had been snarling at one another appeared to bury the hatchet in presence of the mysterious flashes -which ever and anonbtirided their fierce eyes; arid their demeanour.evinced a certain mutual conciliatorinees. For the-most part, theanimals lay perfectly motionless abrmt" the de.ns. A tigress ' from Turkestan was, however, an exception,-as she seemed to revel in 'the storm, and bounded from corner to corner \yith a'-boid defiance of the lightning which, With almost. :the brilliancy of limelight, played upon her. In the-next cige a tiger and tigress, whose course of true love did not appear to'run -Smoothly, to judge from, the na3ty snaps of the lady when her mate attempted to rubhis nose on her shoulder, were completely subdued by the crashing and flashing which was going on around them, and they crouched .down in opposite corners, with every appearance of terror. When a slight cessation in the rainstorm' emboldened the keepers to drive.us forth into the horrors of the night, it was with some-feelings of relief that I left this, particular refuge, for the thought would intrude itself that-if by chance a bolt -were to strike down a wall there, my -four-footed friends would be very disagreeable companions in the dark.