OUR ZOO.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1660, 29 January 1913, Page 9

OUR ZOO.

W" v ;:,;-. <$ jNOTES AND EXPECTATIONS. ■M UYEAHGOOD WORK.' ■ ; POWANIMALS CHANGE THEIR |3y J,.iCr6wes, President of .the 'Welling-' .top .Zoological .Society.) .'■'■• Soon'after:my appeal for money was üblishcd in The Dominion soiiie kind fieiulsenfr to ine-a ."modest shillirig," ram Shannon. Will' a thousand other fiends each kindly send to tllo treasurer bf the Wellington Zoological Society, Mr. . iT. Castle, chemist, ltiddiford Street, Wellington, "a. modest'shilling,"to push forward tho work'of tho society? AH shil- ', '.■ lings nro,; welcome, and' a shilling from Shannon";indicates 'that intelligent persons aro noticing' that ■'! the Wellington' Zoological .Society' is not a little narrow |ocal. body, but.niat.it is'a society that is rendering'service to tho wholo Domiu3oii, and is trying to'.niciko-.it-s influence - felt throughout,the world.; ': . ■'.-,,'.. .-.',

Reports.. ■■". , , : ;'.'-:- '_.' 'j ■'■':..;■■■ ! -What- is the: society ■ doing 'with -the. inoney.it. is> receiving?:, Since -the end of our last financial year wo have classified the'.animals in iho -Wellington Zoo; published our., classification in -an •illustrated report'of the society's proceedings, and distributed gratuitously' almost a thousand copies or it. Somo of theso.havo been circulated ..in'fNew. Zealand, ,>and somo have bsen tent to some of tho prin-, !innl .zoological societies' of the world.' Wo aro not ashamed of ,onr Zoo; wo aro proud ''bfysomo -of .oUr', city, -.'.councillors,, jvhb; • amid ,• storms of- conflicting '•■ opinions »nd :feelings.' have' -steadily .'and -'deter-'. biinedly. worked to .'.maintain ' and improve tho Zoo ;' ; wb are. conscious' that our. ictiety is 'discharging.:.veryi:.important public duties;-and \ve aro. glad that at Home and abroad! our friends aroi. increasing' vciy.'•■encouragingly,.;:',, But '■;'■[ re-, ports cost"money. The publication of bur report.'and 'catalogue cost... considerably moro than r i£ls." : .''.•.•,'■/ ;':'■.: •-, v. "■'{ ':•;.• '•'■

'Flamingoes, \: -■;'';:.': • In this .financial -year wo. have also/hc- ■';•' -introduce, fliiniingocs. Qf the two .'' we imported ono has boon set up in our. j.. municipal 'museum, nnd: tho qther r " at■:■■.tracts, -niuoh l ' attoritipii" 'in., the. Zoo. ■ '>■ Through the kindoffices of Mr.Minchen, ' .the director" of: the Adelaide , Zoo, ,we J 'woro enabled to obtain''good birds, at vei-y ', . low.^prices,/ahd'/Mr. Minchen .. is;.' now ..-:' kindly''/assisting 'to get' three moro,', from '~ : India .for lis. /Ho/has' recently .informed ' ,- us .that when:'tho,.gentleman : .who ~'pro' , cures the.birds was in; Calcutta last tinio : 'it was.' not in •season for J pro-' '.;.; ,cuririß.'flaming6esi,.biit'.he;h , opcs.r:t'o:,.bs 'y/thero ".again s6oh,\wheii'it'/will"' ; bo -the :;■ .right,', season,'.: and/'then he ' will;/for--1 .ward. .'three.,; to. Us.: Kind' friends gra- • tuitpiisly.,; render .great,- /help:; vto'v. us ■': '■; but; flamingoes cost .money,'and our effort :', : ' to establish a/small'flock of.flamingoes in •',' Ith e Zoo must; .'with 'whaf'we have already :.: paid,,cost; I estimate,' at;the.lo'west'j;2o;.

; !The Canaryand' Cage Bird Club./'; ./• jy; /'; - A:. writer .from: the London ; Zoo^recently", /directed attcntlonjto ;tho s'mallriess of'the | . number of species of, ,fofoign ,'birdsi/im-•'■■:.;^rted:''into':England-bVMealers.-.''.'A'.'s'imii' •'■'.',:'lar remark might lmvO|boon passed on the birds imported, by deal- '..;.' erg,boforo our Zoowas'established./Now, ;; thanks;,to- Messrs'./Lnngridgo 'and: Grei,' ' more, especially, I:;think,: the number of V.:.birds.suitable -for. cages or small aviaries, ,;', .imported into. Wellington, has- been con- :,: siderably. increased. of this './was noticeabloat- 1 the/Wellington/ Canary ■:■': -and Cage .'Bird Club's ; show. 1 : .This. club , wider ..recbgnition.andf'morei. gen-. ;•: eral encbnragemcnt'r.thanrifc' has y<flf re-" .■'■ ceived.' VMostkme'nj > .to'.kee^p. / themselves , ,:;healthy,.and:sane,;and;hapny; must:,have; /something'..to, draw their, mmds'awav ntl from' their 'ordinary' avocation. ".: Td somo.a small'aviary, affords'a delight- :, ful:change, .Canaries are'very interestirig, V, and flourish' splendidly, iiicantivity.. They' ; j are form and colour, and. are: ,;, exquisite, singers. But; the .Peking Night-; ~ /ingalesVuTe equally Lbeautiful, and : their. ; ;:•. Bong.iSj.sweetly niiisical. The weaver'birds- /; : also ,'are; excellent; birds ; for'tlia f^mall: ■;■ aviary_,;arid thaiiks ; aro duo'' to i Messrs.' .-;.". Langridge'nhdGroi/fors.; tho.' prominence' 1 " ; 4hey.are'.giving'': to/such:, beautiful little .'birds .as, the.'.crimson'. crtwhed and : the '- -, Sladagascariweavers';': The publiconght:to i . .suppprtthd club,' so'as to.'eunble it to give ;■■:■:■; a yet wider range to its exhibits;", ' - /'; :/ ■ [ '■:/'/ ■ "Variety's flio•.very:spice .of. lifoi '/?;•'■ ; / ./ ;/■ Thatigiyes it:all-its : flavdur." ;/:./;';: ■'~.;," , ; But nowmay I'not:fairly':aslt some of ;:' ■: ihe members of that club to confer a iay.'■:;.:,'our updn the,public'? 1 wont a few publicf: ■ spirited,members:ea'eh to give some worthy *.i joffcring to their city.; .None of/them will v. : goon be able itoeplipse the /glorv/of-Mr',' ;,. Langridge's' weavers, but,some .mightim- .-': -':P, IO Te the' Zoo's show/, of: canaries. ,'- Wei-. V Imgton's; Zo6'., should * represent ■'.' the lie's t t. aiiimals of t>eir several; kinds obtainable ■ :"ra the world. By"popularising the' Zoo, ':':■.".the members of the Cage Bird Clubmay •V incrMsothe hap< ~ .' jpiness' of niany''people:unable to keep "private: aviaries, and: make 'their .own ;.;'aviaries more;interesting.'; ■;/..; ':'■-: .

Harmoniously Beautiful, v.-'-' :.-': i■ 7v A ', This .year.VhhdV.by;this, year"! mean ipiy society's, financial; year; the-Zoologi* cal Society; hits not only donated flamin£oes to .the'city; .it has also placed 1 three other valuable -Write,., which have been through'the society, in the Zoo j ;and it ; has- presented a pair of .the. beautiful littlo.Australian. ; plumed pigeons. .Gould," writing 6£ the lophophaps' pluniiIfcra,. describes, it as elegant,.and ; .iells lis ' 'ft 8 ' ilf- Elscy spoko of-it as a lovely. Jittle bird, and said, "To my fancy this 5s one of the most graceful and hannoni-nusly-coloiir'ed ;bjrds.'-I' have; ever'.'•' .seen." The little pigeon's we havepresented very closely resoniblo the little bird so admired by Mr,;,E150y. ,.:.:' ' '"..., y■', ' ;■ •*■■

Good from Gisborne,' Etc;,- ~ I had only just told.oiir treasurer that I had, received a 'modest; shilling ./from Shannon; .when ho showed ,mo a letter with ten shillings in it," which he had received frorA a lady who. had sent it from Gisborne, J ,m . response to.-the Wellington'' irfjologicdl: Society's "president's appeal." That Jady; when she, infrequently, visits Wellington,; always' visits tiie /Zoo; [ and she -was pleased' to' send something ''more' thai a.mere.expression of.admiration towards; our fund, for .promoting and improving that 1 , very interesting institution. Now the treasurer of our society'praises The Dominion newspaper' up to the highest, eulogises the 'wisdom of the Gisborno lady, and: even ventures to express the opinion that my random jottings .about Zoo'aff airs, are "well worth reading." ..'

Wonders of the World. ' ''•'.■•'..-..;. ; ■ A few days .ago I again -.looked into Leach's/"Australian Bird Book," and I noticed thero what ho says about the bower •■ birds* He tells us that' Mr .; A. J. North, C.M.8.0.N., who is, in Mr. ■-[ Leach's opinion; one of the greatest, living ■. Australian.ornithologists, has declared . " that, without exception,, the bower-build-ing birds of Australia are the most 'extraordinary and interesting group of birds ..found ;m the, world," and, Mr. Leach, 6peaking of the satin bower' birds, places them "amongst the wonders of the world." Now, we fortunately have a malo satin bower'., bird in. tho Wellington'. Zoo, and this one is iri tho beautiful blue-black vplumage that it takes tho bird seven years to acquire. But we want a female or two of the 'same species. ' Surely thero aro in. New Zealand somo persons who havo sufficient influence over friends in' Australia to movo them to get two dien .'birds'of-this species of the' World's great ornithological wonders for us. ■

Competitions. ' '■■'■■. .. Although, as 'I have shown, our payments, presents, 'and engagements already this year total nearly £10, the Zoological Society isr with high hope.?,' 'promoting art competitions likely to cost .£lO or .£l2. Every artist and every art student in the Dominion should compete. We want to sea our Zoo mti\, n* it sh"iild .he.' ti% educate our ne'ople. Now is'the time for artists to help to utilise,'advertise, land glorify the Zoo. W« are offering considerable prizes; the.Now Zealand Academy of Pine',Arts i? co-oncrafing with us, and we hopeithat our fir.it'competition shall Rive nn.impftus lo'\iri that shall he.felt and manifested throughout. New Zealand

for. ever. Conditions, and all other information about tho competitions, can bo obtained from the secretary of the Zoological Society, Mr.: John Castle, chemist, Kiddiford Street, Wellington South.

Mutatis Mutandis. "Our'friends tli-o legislators can adapt amendments to old laws by using the words "mutatis mutandis," our friends the, lawyers frequently remind us that "circumstances alter cases," and evolutionists. tell us that whatever our views Of evolution as n theory-may be, speculative acclimatisation societies and practical farmers must (five attention to the ease and success-.with which animals'change their habits to suit their circumstances. A little while ago T directed attention to the fact that the brown bears in cur Zoo feed exclusively on vegetable ; foods. Later, .when I visited Wirth Bros.' menagerie I noticed that while the Polar bears were fed on'fish,-soaked bread only Was given to the brown bears. Naturalists . may classify these bears as earnivora, and it is probable that they might soon' be chanced to feed principally on flesh; but If ■-C.-1-..'... in- :,• ,y, '- - ■ '• , ■ W' , vegetarians. Then naturalists tell us that tho hippopotamus .feeds on: grass. But we read that in a menagerie a hippopctnmus was fed on meal mashed with milk and thrust.down the throat of the animal by the firm of its attendant. , When I'saw ffirth Bros.' hippopotamus'it rose quietly up : from its • bath, stood on a platform, and ate a hot meal mash without 'any thrusting, coaxing, or assistance of nny kind. Ariother remarkable change of food is noticeable in our Zoo to-dar. Books tell tis that the-flamingo feeds on small fish, shells, and water. insects, for the capture, of which its beak is most singularly constructed; but the flamingo in tho Wellington Zoo feeds exclusively on grain and biscuit. . r

Stoats, Sheep, Starlings, Etc. ■Apropos to', what,, I have ;said about changes of • diet, are onoor two things /lybave recently read. An". Irish farmer has been :deeply .convinced that ouo of his fat sheep had been' almost killed by. a stoat. .Somo doubt is'held as. to; the' cause.of. the injury to the sheep;'but the evidenco given by the farmer" called forth'tho statement that lambs have been killed' by .stoafs.: 'Some years ago stardings; were, introduced to Australia, and they, have ■ been spoken of as friends. Of farmers. Now' orchardists ';■: aro .' fearint? them;' and. thoughtful.observers' aro.hinting that if the'starlings- be. not ''kept within- proper limits they will' soon ■ coiiio as great a post to orchardists, ns : the ;rabbit3 now are, to: farmers..; Stoats have been brought ■. to. Now Zealand to; destroy rabbits; '. and other so-called natural enemies are; brought 'in'.to annihilate other but - experiences in 'zcos, and observations outside, prove', that, any-of several plausible remedies may .become.moro. destructive 'than; the .evils 'they are 'prescribed to" check. . .'".; ';,

■Forecasts.:,' .:.-.'■.. ;.'':";,'-.:,■■/.- 'x ;,,'::-. Y" Judging from' the number of .people 'that vconsult ''-'palmists, clairvoyants, .arid mediums;'the amount of space allowed to newspaper writers -on the..'performances and prospects; of;' racehorses; .'■. the ,-■ -talk that is heard /about' .'weather.. 'forecasts; and the cunous (luestions put-'about .scieutific indications in the', {jobs' it is ■ safe to,.conclude, 'that people generally,;like to read hints about.the 'future. I there-, fore i. will 'give' ■ some "forecasts" of- some of the; novelties 'which; may/to expected •,in the Zoo within the per}cd; of the: next three months: ■' Sonio; of fanciful;' 'butj'lt will ,be interesting'to ■hazard .afewj 'however 'conjectural, they: may .prove. I:■ expect" .to see three ..or four pennant /iparraTceots. : ' Budgerigars havo been reared in the Zoo, aiulcockatiel. now. flying in- the -aviary,, were, born not ■far 'frttai where theyifly; soon three or four young parrots or parrakeets will- emerge from the gloomy obscurity in whicVsince they were: hatched they havo/been hiding., Perhaps'.'they are -beautiful'.'pennants, they may .be hybrids. 1 . .1 am curiously awaiting .their emergence. Another presumption 'that. .•ought Tf .n<s. ■ to.. shrink from the test'of tiirieis tha,t a fine, young rod kangaroo will appear, in duo course.. ■'A'' young, donkey or' tiro>^h,CfnJ<Lalso i ,cid.d variety to the scciw. •■,'; Aye,: and. a vouirf ,limi\-or'tffo''.ma'y;:put'-in;.>'\Tisit-tlious|]i perhaps not an appearance. -Some --lion-, ;ess£fl'■•kill' and -.;eat;.';thttr iT ;whe,ps soon; 1 after they -are; ;born..v Liowssc* generally' resent attempts, to .exhibit their, young..; I' have seen ..some very: young lions, but I am convinced; that the breeding of lions is not half as simple l and general an achievement ; of ir\y friends imagine it to be. Hundreds have!: been' reared in.the Dublin. Zoo,, and a goodly numbcf: elsewhere, bnt I.notics that in' the guide to'thV.London ,Zoo, published in. 1900. there appears.this sig-'| nificant; hint-r-"Lions. occasionally breed | in. the .Gardens; '.■ although < the', present stock' has' not been, .very ■ successful:. in.| this respect." If in such a large'Zco as the Londonone success is so precarious we > then must not blame onr.lions-if they do-'not immediately produce .young lions, nor need my friends:'who;: after eating .heavy suppers, -.see,'.'crowds, of hungry/ young I lions devouring 'the', city rates, cherish their disordered dreams. ,

Modest Mandarins, '■';. > ''. .:;. -, 'I with modesty, and ,with modesty I will end this set'of somewhat hetero-; goncoiiß jottings. '.. Many. persons, have recently: inquired .whei'e are the.glorious little ducks whose unique wing-fans and gorgeous .colouring attrapted so much attention as they -appropriately,'shone', in the spray of the glistening fountain beau-, tif ully .illumined .with .the glory {of, the ,latcr'spring!and early summer sunshine? Where. ,is now their, glowing '.beauty, and their conscious-pride..of it? ' Whore'aro' the ponipous.' littlo mandarins, that tised to'.say,■■.'■'and not,,unreasonably: '"Was ever' Solomon .in fall his glory arrayed 1 ■like one' of: these?'-.' Well, ..the; truth ./is' time has -'.though only' temnorarily.metamorphbsed.them. .Theyhave '■lest their fans, and their gold lace, and other' slieeny. decorations have disappeared.,.. Now the erstwhile proud mandarins are as .modest 'as. mallard,-"-ond'.may be ssen semi-hidden in the shade beneath the ti-treo. ■'; Naturo has taken off their glorious robe,■'.and 1 -they., give no exhibitions of their garb • of drab,: or, undress uniform.' Next winter they will .robe themselves again,'and prepare to shine once more in all theirbrilliant variegation.-