WARM AIR V. FRESH AIR.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13277, 17 January 1911, Page 5

WARM AIR V. FRESH AIR.

Tubqrcukwis simply ravaged the Chicago Zoo. Dr. Evans decided on,experiment. A batch of twenty healthy monkeys arrived one autumn fresh from the tropics. There were five sick monkeys that had degenerated since their in the Zoo. Dr Evans persuaded the superintendent, whiles taking his twenty monkeys inside as usual for the winter/ to allow Dr. Evans to keep the five sick monkeys outside. The sick monkeys were provided with no more than a thatched shelter; no artificial ,hcqt waß supplied. Before,.the winter was over the one-time ■ sick monkeys had all thick brown, furry coats, their muscles, had. grown largo and stfong, thej ato eagerly, and were extremely pugnacious. • Meantime all the . . twenty monkeys which, were admitted robust health to the steam-heated house died. So the superintendent recognised that he must henceforth not make tffo climate adaptable to -your animal; but make your animal adapt itself to the climate. The Lincoln Park Zoo, winter and summer, now; bc<mme;.au;.qiie«i<iir, — air zoo.' In nearly all the cageS the heating apparatus was taken out and the windows opened. All of-the tropical animals, in winter time formerly kept in'a high temperature, now breathe the air precisely as Nature supplies it. There are shelters provided for them, of course, but nearly all of the animals -spend the daytime in the open air. The sacred cattle of tho East, the antelopes of India, the wild lidgs of '■ these', 'lißir 1 Wr animals at homo, adapt themselves to the natural temperature at Lincoln Park. Probably nowhere else may ostriches be seen ploughing their way through the snow, or kangaroos jumping about when -the thermometer is below the freezing point.