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By
EDWARD R. SCHAUFFLER
WILLIAM T. A. CULLY must have had a stork in his pocket. Ever since he took over directorship of the Swope Park Zoo on May 2, 1942. the birth rate has been going up. Baby lions, a tiger, yourtg monkeys — to say nothing of birds ad infinitum — have been a-borning out at Swope Park. (Last summer Mr. Cully sold Sammy, a tiger and a real enfant terribh, to the Brooklyn Zoo.)
The president of the park board, Harry Evans Minty, is devoted to the babies. Every Sunday morning he drives out to the zoo before its opening to' the public, gives the password, and is admitted. He takes the macaque monkey child, Bobo, from the cage and she cuddles against his shoulder and tells him all about things.
"She's a dear little animal," Mr. Cully tells us, "and more loving than many children."
He's fond, too, of old Sally, the venerable chimpanzee, reputed once to have been a member of a Ziegfeld Follies troupe. Cully has never been able to verify that story, but he says it may be so. As for Sally, she is discreetly silent about her past, as a lady should be. She merely shrugs a fur clad shoulder (not mink) and blows what might be a reasonable facsimile of a smoke ring. Even in these days Sally expects and demands her quota of cigarettes, and raises a clatter when she is turned down.
William Cully says it's all bunk about animals losing their minds in confinement. If they're healthy and well cared for they stay as sane and cheerful as a clam at high tide.
He gives his charges excellent care. On Sunday mornings early, the smaller animals are taken out to play on the green grass. We happened by one Sunday, early enough to catch the animal fair. Letitia, a blonde ballet dancer, who happens to be our wife, was particularly taken
by Sammy, the tiger. She's fond of cats, anyway. And Sammy was fond of her, sensing, no doubt, some kindred and kinaesthetic quality in rhythm! He went all-out for her and romped and scuffled for all the world like a playful puppy. As for Letitia, she was delighted with Sammy's firm, lithe muscles. We recalled Hilaire Belloc's jingle about tigers, which ends:
"But mothers of large families Who tend to common sense Will find a tiger well repays The trouble and expense."
William Cully used to be head keeper at the Bronx Zoo, before coming to Kansas City. After the war he has hopes of building an "African Veldt" in the old rock quarry south of the present animal house. A monkey island already has been built. And by the time warm weather comes, it will be crowded with whooping simians. Monkeys, Mr. Cully tells us, arc hardy fellows and can stand a good deal of cold.
A Question just occurred to us. If the stork brings all the baby monkeys, tigers, birds, and what-not — who brings baby storks? We'll ask Mr. Cully. He'll probably know.