THE ZOO TEA PARTY

Evening Star, Issue 20137, 30 March 1929, Page 20

THE ZOO TEA PARTY

The tea party for the chimpanzees was an entertainment that proved a great success at the Zoo last year; there will be another this year as soon as the weather becomes warm enough for the apes to sit out of doors. • But this year there will only be three chimpanzees, and one of the trio is a. new addition, for Clarence is dead, and Jack became so naughty with his companions and visitors that he had to be asked to retire from the party. The new ape is Bobo. a young animal of three years; and as she is taking Jack's place at the table it will be her duty as hostess to hand round the food and attend to her playmates. The trainer of the apes was reluctant to part with Jack, for this chimpanzee is remarkably intelligent. Until recently he hoped that Jack would mend his ways, and be able to continue h'ts performance. But Jack grew worse instead of better; ho refused to let Bobo live in his cage; he quarrelled frequently and violently with Jimmie, and finally ho disgraced himself, after a rehearsal of the tea party, by break- : ing the table and the chairs. So ho now lives all alone, and looks very dej pressed. The absence of Jack has made Jimmie and Bibi much better tempered, j and they were pleased to let Bobo take j his place in their home: and now these three little npe.>> «*>'« nllowed to Icavo their cage and play with visitors in the service passage of the monkey house. They can be trusted to behave nicely with young admirers as well as grownups ; but only those who are not nervous of them can enjoy a good game, for the baby animals are mischievous and unable to resist the temptation to tease. They like to be nursed like children, and if his keeper asks Jimmie "Do you love me?" the chimpanzee tbiows his arms round his neck and kisses his cheek. Jimmie also likes to take off shoes and "then put them on again, and if offered a glove ho tries it on his own hand. All the chimpanzees can unlock the door of their cage when given a hunch of keys. If at first they choose the wrong key they persevere until they find the one that fits the lock; then they turn the key, take off the; padlock, and push open the door. When after a romp with visitors they are told to go back to their den, they obediently return home, and the last to pass through the doorway turns and shuts : the door behind him'. But the door is never closed ir*i! each has offered his , haud to both, visitors and keeper.