ST. LEON'S CIRCUS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18199, 21 March 1921, Page 3

ST. LEON'S CIRCUS

One of the hardest tasks ever taken on by a trainer of animals was the tuition of the live mountain sheep used hy Morriss in his act with the St. Loon’s Circus, which will open for a short season on Wednesday night on the Caledonian Grounds. These sheep, came from the vicinity of the Alps, in France, and, unlike the wcclgivers of this country, they are more likely to-butt than to allow one to approach them safely. Training a wild animal—a maneater—is easy compared with the task of teaching tho.se tricksters. Morriss’s first experience with them sent him about on crutches for several weeks. Lsed to climbi’.jo- almost inaccessible regions of the French Alps, theseOsheep did not at first take kindly to the flat surface of the circus ring but they had found a master in Morriss ’ who has so successfully taught them th’t they have beeome almost human in their actions At one word from their trainer they will accomplish really marvellous feats. Morriss found the key to success in teaching: them was ready to rely on the thick-headed manner in which a whole flock will follow the juntics c£ one. Ho thereupon concentrated upon one, and found that the remainder readily followed him in the' most ridiculous feats