Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 98, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 August 1898 — GREASING THE ELEPHANTS. [ARTICLE]

GREASING THE ELEPHANTS.

Rhinoceros, Too, Coated Twice a Tear with •‘Nentsfoot Oil. Twice a year the elephants and the rhinoceros in the Central park menagerie get a coa ting of neatsfoot oil, which is thoroughly rubbed in with the palm of the hand, says the New York Sun. The odJingand the manipulation cleanse «he skin, remove the dead skin and open ihe pores, freshen the animals up and improve their health, and they seem to like the process. The oiling is done only in the spring and summer; if done in winter the animal's would likely take cold from it. The rhinoceros at the park is in good condition and lively and rather frisky for so big a brute. Sometimes it steps about with a step that is very much like a dancing step and likeily to surprise one who sees it for the first time and has been accustomed to regard the rhinoceros as an animal aJways slow and lumbering in its | movements. When the rhinoceros’ cage : is cleaned out, which is done daily, the ! keeper first attracts the great creature ; to one side with a tempting mess of food. Then he slips a noose of rope ; over the animal's horn and settles it down around the neck and makes the • other end fast around a bar or two of i the elephant’s cage adjoining. This is done to keep the rhinoceros from pitch- ’ ing into the keeper if it should take a 1 notion. The same precaution is taken ! when the rhinoceros is oiled. The elephants, however, kneel at the word of command. It is not necessary to plant a ladder against them in order to reach the upper part of their sides in rubbing in the oil.