Thomas Bilder lives in one of the cottages in the enclosure behind the elephant house, and was just sitting down to his tea when I found him.

Thomas and his wife are hospitable folk, elderly, and without children, and if the specimen I enjoyed of their hospitality be of the average kind, their lives must be pretty comfortable.

The keeper would not enter on what he called business until the supper was over, and we were all satisfied.

Then when the table was cleared, and he had lit his pipe, he said, "Now, Sir, you can go on and arsk me what you want.

You'll excoose me refoosin' to talk of perfeshunal subjucts afore meals.