OUR FRIEND YAMBO

A Frenchman and his wife take a cheetah cub to live with them in their Paris apartment and in their country home, but unlike lions, such as Elsa, cheetahs have often been tamed and have been used as hunting animals since ancient times. As a house-pet, however, they present certain difficulties. Yambo, though gentle, had the teeth, claws and sudden temper of a will animal; at first he was unhousebroken and clawed the furniture; as he grew, his unpredictable, thwarted hunting and sexual instincts forced the Mereiers to carry a whip at all times. Actually, the Mereiers became very fond of their pet and his habits were much like those of a domestic cat, although he grew to weigh 125 pounds and necessitated certain precautions, even an outdoor cage. The descriptions of the adjustments on both are interesting and Mr. Mereier shows not only a good deal of experience with animals in Africa, but also a certain amount of objective curiosity about his pet. Still this account, which is almost a diary, leaves many tantalizing half-answers, which is perhaps all it could hold. Civilization is still almost as much of a mystery to man as it is to a wild beast..... The Born Free market will be the natural one to hope for even though it may not be as widely secured.