Judge — November 27, 1897 — page 18: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 1897 comic strip depicts the capture of a chimpanzee named "King Redeye" using a crude trap. The sequence shows figures (appearing to be hunters or zookeepers) positioning a jug as bait near a lamp-post. The chimp, unable to resist grasping the "natural support" of the lamp-post while reaching for the jug, becomes stuck—apparently the jug is attached or the post is sticky ("varnish"). The satire likely mocks both animal behavior and contemporary attitudes toward wildlife capture for zoos or circuses, which were popular spectacles in the 1890s. The emphasis on the chimp's "instinct" suggests commentary on animal intelligence versus human cunning. The crude setup and comedic tone reflect the period's casual approach to animal exploitation and "exotic" specimen collection.