Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Saturday 23 July 1904, page 5


SUNDAY AT THE ZOO.

By BUSHWOMAN.

"Twopence all the way to the Zoo!" cries the conductor of the Royal-park tram. My children clamber up into the horse tram and off we go. There are mothers and fathers and hosts of children, as well as boys and girls sweethearting. The girls wear wealths of pearls round their necks. Their swains sport pink camellias in the buttonhole. At the Zoo a brass band is playing gaily. Scores of buggies and wag-gonettes are drawn up at the gate.

We pay our pennies, and then go to the

refreshment-stall, where we lay in a stock of peanuts, gingerbread, and apples to feed

the animals.

I list ive \isit the 1 ang-uoos JToppctty hoppetty they come up to the netting fence in I cat out of oin hands liircc gaunt 1 unlimcn ire ga/inc, it them Miny n diova o them coves Ive seen, miss, ope

bjv. to me

So hive I I answer up on the War lego com ng in i moo through tho gidynh, griv and blue and led-its a pretty sight

\es he says yes I reckon it is

The groit cranes (or nitne eompinions) come inquisitively up to the fence and peck it the blight buttons on the girl» jickets \ jil cul wains us to de ii with these 0eiitij with leyeience an 1 ive do

We go uevt to the Pola liens Iheir si/o is enormous Jt seems impertinence to throw them peanuts but the) aie pleased to get sueJi nail dainties, and feel tor tie tiniest nut with eagerness

Oh what i heartbiug he 1 make1 sghs one thrifty soul a-> the largest heir stands

up

There li a nice to do in the camels cstab bailment Iho one with a MUglc hump is not on mcndlv teínas with the eimel with two humps Thev lace lounl bellow at eich othel and show thean truth 1 hen they i ice to the fence and ¿lue nt y sit ira I think ot the ti tin-, ot c nncl,-10 r0 liO I saw in Üie i ir north of Queensland pari

entlv ttiirjing^ loads ot fool without which in the time ol thought the squatter-, and se lectors would hive pei »lied These two upon which no bulliens aie laid arc im patient and ill at eise

ihe domestic goat next door stands np on his lund legs to tee the fun and wags hu ben 1 is ii to sa) lhe/ie at it. ag-nu

tho c two

Monkey-, arc swinging grimacing chat tennfc bang ng by then tills scampering up and elown pinching and tweaking cjcli

other

Vin the i hird case9 sajs a bushman

tint cove gnawing th it melon lind Ile a sa)in lins i-, i touah job but 1 II scoie von put a little bit on me T like the monktys Ihcy make me fee] ble i tvo jen-old Goid old Dirwin'-he knev a ti ing ni two I heie yale nubes he add«, flinging a showci of nuts

Glaly» «av s i fond mamma to her child pass the spectacles to the b g mon

le) and well seo him put them on llnsi i done j ho b l, motil ev bqucezes the toy till the g11 e come out f la lyt, gives, i shr c1 oi ilioina) iles eil it he-, eat it J he moni ey puts his tongue into his cheek and chuckles

lhoie are rose and whrte flamingoes that dance like old fashioned 1 idles of the ballet

and there ne goigeous peacock» »pleading their tills on the velvet) grass

They look bke blade» tuo»e white ones lcniarl s n little gul

ihe 1 on is louing A grc-vt cavern of a mouth he opens He walks np and down »h king the cage At last be seits himself clo»e to the hu» that scpaiatc him tram

tlie lioness

1 lie lionels w ill» up and bites lum on the foiohead It is not the first time judg mt b) Ins forehead J hen she leap-, to her couch mel eyes the eiovvd thiough bet half clo ed c)cs is much as to -jv. Ah foi five minnies amongst )ou people1'

Hie tgeis nie sleek and handsome but soft foot»! «1) cieiture» One steal» iound the grotto ilmost noiselessly and the sight mikes ones heait quäle

Georgv I etch hold of my leg if yon re frightened calls out a father to his bttlo Inel ho can t get you Georgy gives me his hand and I escoi t lum to see th guinea pifei lie soon forgets the terrible tigei un 1 1 inglis at the guinea p gs which ale scaled bj i li g t tece o£ oi ange peel w hieb, someone

his tin own

Hie python is shedding his skin He has been it ti is hu mea mi neal!) tvo months He wathe» and squirms to flee himself

Ile um t venomous1 lemarks a lid

"Not venomous! Rats! He'd squeeze you to death in one act. I say, Bill, ain't his noo skin bonza?"

Vftci we hay o petted the baby elephant the donkeys and the zebra we go to the

mid»

A »luid) pelican is peiched on the limb ot i dead tree in the centro oí i pool Pelee a n us Gonspieillatu» he is called In a twinkling he is beating up the watei and lashing his winga then ne catches tho uah he is aftei tos»cs it up into the m, and swallows it lengthways

J he owls look quurnt with their hood» ind luffs and blinking eyes Here is our old fraeud the mopoke Many a be latcd one ¡ have lwukened on the Goul

burn flats jNeai bv is the podargus I feel th it if it weie peumssible it would lie quite enjoyable to shake clans with these gentrj

and say So pleased to meet you VVe have I heard so much about you in The Argus I Now, strictly between friends-wa» it thej 'podargus' or the 'mopoke' after all{"