Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 March 1891 — A BOXING KANGAROO. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A BOXING KANGAROO.

He Gan “Put Up Hi< Dukes” with Some ol the Best or ’Em. A marked characteristic of many of the animals at the Philadelphia Zoo is their love of play. In fact, most of them seem to have forgotton that they ever had savage instincts. The largest kangaroo in captivity is the big one at the Zoo, which the keepers have nick-

named “John L.” The reason they call him by that name is because he can box almost as well as the famous pugilist himself. This really clever trick was taught him by his keeper, to whom he is very much attached. One day while going in to clean the cage the keeper noticed that “John L.,” hitherto morose, showed a decided inclination to play. He reared himself on his hind legs and put up his “props” just like a fighter. The keeper put his “dukes” up too, and advanced on “John L.” The result was a rather clumsy exhibition of the manly art. But this first attempt was enough for a starter, and tbe big kangaroo proved a. willing pupil, so that in a short time he could do almost everything but deliver the knock-out blow. Headkeeper Byrne had a round or two with “John L.” recently, and he had to hustle around the cage pretty lively to keep the nimble animal from getting in one or two hard punches. When Mr. Byrne entered the cage “John L.” cocked his hat to one side and comically surveyed his visitor. As soon as Mr. Byrne put himself in a fighting attitude the wily kangaroo did likewise, and began to fiddle his paws up and down, much after the fashion of an old-style pugilistic exponent. He slowly advanced toward the keeper, and every move he made had a suggestion about it of business. When Mr. Byrne finally left the cage “John L.” fairly seemed to smile derisively at the easy manner in which he had vanquished his foe.

A BOUT WITH “JOHN L.”