CAPTAIN FAIRCHILD'S MENAGERIE.

Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 129, 15 October 1886, Page 4

CAPTAIN FAIRCHILD'S MENAGERIE.

TO TIIK EDITOR. Sir— With oil duo respect to Captain Fairchild, I think ho has mado a great niistako, and beon guilty of a great piece of cruolty in bringing np bo many livo animals, which he cannot proporly attend to. Seals roqniro to bo nlmost constantly intho water. Truo, thoy will bask in the sun on a rook for an hour or two at a tlmo, bnt thoy pass throefourths of their time (except at night) in the water. The unfortunate animals brought up by Captain Fairchild are put out on tho wharf in a dry case and two of them aro dying in consoquenco, uud they will all dio unices means aro takon lo provide them a bath into which they can tumblo at ploasuro They are not protected in any way from injury by malicious people, nnd this afternoon one of tho seals was wonnded on tho hoad by a knifo-cnt by a boy. An eyo-witness informs mo that one of tho albatrosses was killod by a boy, who trod upon its book, because in teasing it, it seized his trousers. How did the captain expect that tmoh large animals as sea lions, living entirely on fish, were to bo convoyed alivo from Now Zealand to England? It is a groat mistake, bnt until they can bo put to death humanely, I think tho Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ought to watch thorn, and compel Captain Fairohild to take better care of . them. _ What is to become of the 100 poor .^penguins ao thoughtleaxly brought down? . "Given away to starve in gardens under tho foolish idea that they can livo on the sings ~ "they can find in a Wellington house garden. ''". . I am, &c, ;..»jii h o Traveller. """'Wednesday evening.