THE MELBOURNE ZOOLOGICAL GRDENS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 31, 30 July 1892, Page 772

THE MELBOURNE ZOOLOGICAL GRDENS.

FOR THE ‘ NEW ZEALAND GRAPHIC ’ YOUNG PEOPLE. Dear Children, —You have been told many charming stories about tame animals, and I am quite sure you like to hear about wild ones too. Once upon a time a little girl named Sybil went to Melbourne with her mother. One of the first places she went to see was the Zoological Gardens. First, she and her mother took a tram, not like a New Zealand tram, which makes such a noise and is drawn by horses, but one that glides swiftly and silently along, drawn by a cable underground, which is worked by machinery in great buildings called tram-sheds. Now the tram into which Sybil went has • Royal Park ’ painted on the outside, and away they go, along a lovely road, with trees and houses all. the way. Presently the conductor cries, ‘ Royal Park !’ and all the little children and their parents jump out, and the tram glides on. They soon reach the Gardens. It is a holiday, and little Sybil is surprised to see a line of cabs as far as the eye can reach each way along the road. These cabs have brought passengers to the park and are waiting to take others back to Melbourne. They pass through the great iron gates, and Sybil sees that thousands of children are there already,, some holding their parents’ hands very tightly as if afraid, and others running here and there, quite at home among the wild animals (which, of course, are caged), treating them like old friends. Sybil is saying, ‘ Let us go to the lions and tigers first, but, oh, mother 1 what is that lovely bird ?’ It is a splendid parrot, with a long blue tail and blue and yellow plumage, and comes from Brazil, that land of lovely birds. Again Sybil stops, ‘ Mother ! here is the monkey-house ! What a splendid house it is, and how merry the little monkeys are !’ Sybil throws a biscuit through the bars. One little fellow seizes it, and a number of others dash at him and try and get it from him. He pops it into his mouth and darts to the other end of the room ; the others follow, and slap and pinch him. Suddenly he opens his mouth ; the biscuit is gone ; the little fellow has swallowed it. He gives those near him a few nips, and they all scamper to the bars to see what else theij visitors will give them. Once a mischievous boy gave a baboon a large piece of tobacco, which he ate, and became so sick that he died. It was very naughty of the boy, for it cost a great deal to bring a baboon to Melbourne. Here is a drill monkey ;he walks to and fro like that nearly all day, looking as grave and marching in as good time as a sentry on duty. The drill monkey is not pretty. Mamma says ‘ Come ’ for a gentleman says ‘ The lions are in their play-ground.’ Sybil is just in time to see the old lion spring from the rockery. What a noble-looking animal he is ! Not long ago he was very sick. The keepers could not make him eat; he refused all food. Soon they noticed his face much swollen, and thought he had toothache, but what could they do ? Someone suggested giving him chloroform, so the doctors went out one morning and put him to sleep, and then extracted the tooth. How frightened they would have been if he had awakened ! Next Sybil looks at the tigers. How they glare at her with their sullen, angry eyes, and keep on walking round and round the cage. The tiger is very beautiful, but it is a treacherous and cruel beauty. Sybil must go home now, but another day she will visit the wild animals and you shall hear what she sees. H.M.H.