RHINO’S LONG MEMORY

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 March 1929, Page 2

RHINO’S LONG MEMORY

LONDON ZOO STORY. It would seem highly improbable that such an uncouth creature as a rhinoceros —and a young one at that wwould be capable of remembering any human being after a separation o more than six months. . Yet, when Kathleen, the young Atri-

can rhino in the Tropical House at the London Zoo, was visited by her first owner, Mrs. G. L. Bailey, who has just returned from Kenya Colony, there was not the smallest shadow of doubt that she not only remembered her former mistress, but was highly delighted to see her (states the “Morning Post.” When Mrs. Bailey entered the house Kathleen was peacefully resting on a warm bed of peat moss litter while her little friend Peter, the pigmy elephant, and the inseparable goat, were playing together at the further end of the pen. Much to the astonishment of Mr. Bailey and the Superintendent ,of the Gardens, who were present, as soon as Mrs. Bailey called “Kathleen,” she rose, trotted up to the rails, and licked her hand. Afterwards when Mrs. Bailey went into the pen, Kathleen nestled up to her with evident pleasure, and then, after her back had been rubbed, she

rolled over like a kitten and let Mrs. Bailey tickle her ribs. This is a thing she has never allowed her keeper to do, neither would he attempt it now, as Kathleen has grown large and heavy enough to deal a severe blow with her horns. Kathleen has every reason to remember and be grateful to Mrs. Bailey, for when she was caught as a baby on the slopes of Mount Kenya by Mr. Bailey, who had shot her mother, Mrs. Bailey took her and cared for he l, like a. child, feeding, petting, and amusing her for several weeks, until she was old enough and strong enough to bo shipped to England. Mrs. Bailey found that when she first had Kathleen, nothing soothed her so much as the sound of her voice, and as she fretted for some time owing to the loss of her mother,. Mrs Bailey used to read to her and tell her nursery rhymes every night before she tucked her up in her little grass bed.