nd
chattering, and Mrs. Steiner pointed out several which should have been
acquaintances of the Odenwald boys, but to her surprise they did not
appear to know their names.

"I am ashamed that I, a forester's son, and living in the country all my
life, do not know the names of our native song birds, but know the
foreign ones from seeing them in pictures," said Franz. They gazed long
at the wise looking owls who were blinking on a wall of masonry, which
represented an old tower; then turned their attention to the swan and
spoonbills, and other aquatic fowl sporting in the clear water of the
lake, while on the shore marched the stately flamingoes, resembling
red-coated soldiers.

On a rocky point rested an eagle, and upon another a Golden Condor
spread its great wings.

"Oh, see!" cried Fritz, "here comes a great elephant carrying an organ
in his trunk. See, he is setting it down; now he is turning the crank
and playing a beautiful waltz."

Of all the new and interesting things they had seen, this was the
greatest delight to the boys; and their delight was not dampened by
having the animal musician hold out his trunk for pay. Fritz gave him
one of his beloved nickels, which was immediately passed to the keeper,
and when Mrs. Steiner gave him a sweet bun which she had brought in her
pocket especially for him, he put it in his capacious mouth and
swallowed it with evident relish.

After the elephant organ-grinder had received all the pay he could
gather from the people congregated about the bird enclosure, he passed
on with his organ, and Mrs. Steiner took her guests to the bear pits,
and to their delight, they saw the great polar bear, the black bear and
many others of which they had seen illustrations, and after watching
them as much time as they could spare they passed on to see the
giraffe, and from thence to the pen of the zebra. They were earnestly
engaged in counting its beautiful stripes when from a great tent near
they heard the sound of some wild and warlike instrument which seemed to
serve as a summons, for people were hurrying to the tent. Mrs. Steiner
told the boys to come, and all went through the opening and found that a
company of Nubians were about to give a performance. They were in native
costume, their coal black hair stiffened with grease to make it stand
straight up, their brilliant white teeth in contrast with their black
faces.

They commenced the performance by a representation of a sham batt