Life — March 7, 1901 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "A Card to the Public" This is a charitable appeal illustrated by artist Kemble, credited to W.T. Hornaday, Director and General Curator of the New York Zoological Park. The cartoon depicts figures dressed in cast-off winter clothing distributed to tropical birds at the zoo. The satire is straightforward: it humorously personifies the birds as human characters wearing oversized, ill-fitting donated garments—apparently the comic point is visualizing birds in human clothes. However, the underlying message is sincere: Hornaday is thanking the public for donating used winter clothing that the zoo repurposes to protect tropical birds from harsh Northern winters, keeping rare specimens comfortable during cold months. The humor serves the charitable cause.