Birds and All Nature, Vol. 5, No. 1, January 1899: Illustrated by Color PhotographyVarious
History
Birds and All Nature, Vol. 5, No. 1, January 1899: Illustrated by Color Photography
Various
Birds -- Periodicals; Natural history -- Periodicals
While "Tess" was remarkably intelligent she was too young to show the
maturity of one in Nills' Zoological Garden in Stuttgart, an account of
which is given by the celebrated painter of animals, F. Specht. This
chimpanzee could laugh like a human being. He took notice of this,
for no other animal can show its joy by loud laughter. When he would
take the sympathetic fellow under the arms, throw him in the air and
catch him, the cage rang with his merry peals of laughter. One day he
took along a piece of chalk and sat down on a chair. In a moment the
chimpanzee was sitting on Specht's knees awaiting further developments.
He put the chalk in the animal's hand, and leading it, drew several
figures on the wall. When he released the chimpanzee's hand, the animal
started to shade the drawings with such diligence that they soon
disappeared, to the great amusement of the spectators.
There are now, or were a few years ago, two chimpanzees in the
Stuttgart zoological garden, which are the closest of friends. The
female had been there before and when the male arrived his box was put
over night in her warm, roomy cage the presentation being intended for
the morrow. When the box, which, by the way, had been upholstered,
was opened and the male got out, they both stood on their hind legs
for a few minutes earnestly gazing at each other. Then they flew into
each other's embrace and exchanged hearty and repeated kisses; and the
female brought her blanket, spread it on the floor, sat down on it and
by gestures invited the male to do likewise. It made a charming picture
to see these two taking their meals at a table. They both used spoons
and did not in the least interfere with each other. The female had
the peculiarity of cautiously taking the male's glass, and drinking a
goodly portion out of that, too, after which she returned it. Both of
these animals laughed heartily when at play.
Barnum, the American showman, had two chimpanzees, "Nip" and "Tuck," on
exhibition in various cities and towns, but they did not display much
intelligence, nor did they live long. Other attempts to introduce the
chimpanzee have not been encouraging. The experiment of keeping one
has not been tried in the South, however, where there are doubtless
cities whose climatic condition would prove to be favorable for
keeping chimpanzees much longer than is possible in the more northern
zoological collections.
WHIPPOORWILL.
Hark! I hear the voice again,
Softly now and low,
When the twilight's o'er the plain
And the first stars glow.
This is what it uttereth--
In a rather mournful breath--
"Whip-poor-will! Whip-poor-will!"
What has Will been doing now?
Has he truant played
With a sad, coquettish brow
From some simple maid?
Did he steal her heart away?
For I hear you always say
"Whip-poor Will! Whip-poor Will!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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