FROM the time they arrived at Rock Creek and so launched
the National Zoo as a physical fact, the elephants pre-
sented to the United States by a traveling circus made
Zoo history. Mr. Blackburne recalls some of the high
lights of their career herewith:

The first animals to be quartered at the newly created
National Zoological Park were Dunk and Gold-dust,
male Indian elephants presented to the Government on
April 30, 1891, by James E. Cooper, owner of the Adam
Forepaugh Circus. Secretary Langley of the Smith-
sonian, Dr. Frank Baker, Mr. A. B. Baker, and I visited
the circus to accept the gift. Mr. Cooper found it neces-
sary to dispose of the animals because of their vicious
disposition. Dunk was an elephant fighter and frequently
charged the other male elephants of the show. Separating
them was a dangerous task. When we got him, Dunk
weighed 6,040 pounds, and his age was estimated at
twenty-five years. He was a second-class elephant
(grade dwasala) and fairly easy to handle except during
the must period. Some years before his death he became
weak in the hips and joints of the hind legs. Because of
this condition he was unable to lie down, and so slept
standing up, leaning against the wall. Paralysis of the
trunk followed, when it became difficult for him to bring
food and water to his mouth. During the early hours of
March 30, 1917, while sleeping in his accustomed position,
he lost his balance, and fell forward to the floor, breaking
his shoulder. He was of such dead weight that the bone
protruded through the hide. Normally such a fall would

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