DEAREST LITTLE PEO

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19750, 17 March 1934, Page 13

DEAREST LITTLE PEO

I was going to tell you about my visit to the Auckland Zoo, but last Letter Day one of our Circlians wrote such a splendid little letter about her trip to this interesting place, that I feel sure I could not better it. This Circlian is a lucky little person, too, for she has had something I would love to have—a ride on Jamuna, the friendly old elephant that all children love. There is one incident that happened during my visit to the Zoo that I must tell you to-day. It was feeding time, and, when the Keeper had fed the lions, tigers, and leopards, we went to watch him feed the polar bears. These three big fellows knew quite well that it was teatime, and. even before the Keeper appeared, they paced up and down excitedly, swung their heads backwards and forwards greedily, and even stood up on their hind legs to see if there was any sign of the important man-with-their-meal. And when at last they heard the noise of his wheelbarrow approaching, away in the distance, they jumped up and down like puppies, and licked their lips just as Bill does, when he sees a particularly delicious bone. Quite a crowd collected to see them being fed. and it was most amusing watching them diving, begging, and jumping for their tea. But there was one bear who did not eat anything. He seemed hungry enough, for he dived and raced for his fish and meat, but as soon as he picked it up he dropped it again, and looked at the other bears with the most sorrowful expression on his big white face. “What is the matter with him?” I asked the Keeper. “Oh, that old chap has toothache,” said the Keeper. “The dentist is coming to visit him to-morrow.” Poor Mr. Polar Bear! Although I felt sorry for him. I certainly would not care to be His dentist! If you are ever in Auckland and wish to see this beautiful Zoo, little people, you must try to time your visit so that you will be there at feeding time. It is ever so interesting, and great fun, too, watching the different animals being fed. Next Saturday I will tell you about, a garden .so beautiful, and a house so pretty and tiny that they might almost have belonged to a fairy tale Prince and Princess. Sg] LOVE, l jJSs l. / Jkn