WELLINGTON ZOO

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2385, 15 February 1915, Page 6

WELLINGTON ZOO

A WONDERFUL CHANGE

NATURE'S STORM MOODS

TREES AND FACTORIES

SOME NEW ARRIVALS. (By John Crewes, member of tho Council' of the Wellington Zoological Society.) 'A few months ago I suggested to Mr. Lajigridge, the Curator of the Zoo, that the only peacock that was in the Zoo was not worth keeping. Last year he grew a very thin and scraggly sort of a tail, and this' year for a while the tail that was Icing produced seemed narrow and plain though long. The only redeeming feature of the great bare-legged, narrow-tailed bird seemed to be a . beautiful neck and breast. But a marvellous transformation has lately taken place, and now on every fine afternoon the glorious charmer gives a display of feathery adornment such as I had read of in brilliant descriptions of wild birds in India but never expected to. see in captivity anywhere, and the erstwhile restless, discontented, shy, miserable vagrant has changed into a reputable beau, having handsomely primed and plumed himself to the requirements of modern civilised society, so that'he now moves in magnificent style,' exhibiting to perfection a dress of exquisite fit and blend and splendour. Recently he had the honour of being viewed with the critical eyes of a gentleman whoso father once shot a glorious peacock out where such birds luxuriate m their natural habitat, in India, and the appreciative visitor to our Zoo, who is a well-known Wellington citizen, was, witlj_ his good lady, highly pleased to see in our Zoological Garden the brilliant bird that in the judgment of many admirers is now the most beautiful bird in the Zoo. Thro; Little Peacocks. .The two hens that.the splendid bird that js regarded as the most beautiful bird in the Zoo flatters with his attentions are not as showy as the conspicuous paragon that woos and wins and leads and loves them, but the hens have a quieter beauty of their own, and even then- unpretentious infants are not without attraction; A few days ago I saw the chickens whose appearance I forecasted when last I wrote. These are dressed principally in quiet brown, but the dark collars behind their heads, and the shade spots with which their mugs are " very neatly touched, give to them a rich appearance. The growth and development of these young birds ought to 'be very interesting to students that have never seen very young peacocks. -• The Aquarium and the Choir. In my last batch of notes there was a reference to the Oxygenation of the water of the Aquarium. What was then said about the plants giving oxygen to the iish, and tne fish giving carbonic acid gas to the plants, attracted considerable attention. I must now mention another ,of the means by which the oxygenation is effected. In the daytime water falls from a tube into each tank. As tilt/ water falls through the atmosphere it gathers oxygen, which it carries' with it as it pelts into the water below. ■■ This reminds me that the ocoan is a great acquarium, and that while plants are giving oxygen to animals within r:-s limits, the great Author of the universe is using engines of tremendous degrees of power, raisins great winds; rolling and tumbling and tossing great waves, plunging and pelting Waters oxygenated by the atmosphere. It stands to reason that engines of enormous ppwer must be worked to fit the waters running in from rivers and the saline waters of, the sea, for the diverse species of animals, some living in water almost fresh, and others in waters very, salt; some in icy cold water, and others in waters almost warm. Yet when after matching the .water- falling into the Aquarium oxygenating the water for the fishes there, I was ready to think of the great works of Nature I had seen rolling and tumbling and-breaking and tossing, tremendous waves in the great natural aquarium at Island Bay.; twice the choir of the church in which I tried to worship the great Author of the universe sang out, in strange, and to my mind unnatural, prayer to Him—

"Smooth the rough.ocean's troubled face, And bid the hurricane give place To the soft breeze that wafts the barque Safely alike through light and dark. I afterwards asked tlie minister 'that set the choir to sing that prayer what

he thought would happen should God at some time condescend to answer it, It seems to mo that any city councilloj that would set a zoo whero cold oxygenated breezes never blow, and any congregation that sings the rhymes that I have quoted above, should notice that tho little indicators in. our Aquarium point to the facts that 6lums must be swept and foundry atmospheres relieved, and oceans tumbled and tossed and rolled, and trees fed, and breathing apparatus supplied, by tremendous storms, warm and cold. It evidently is not the order of Nature for the universe to bo worked by weak or gentlo engines.

A Puzzle for Ornithologists. A few days ago Mr. Langridge, the curator of the_ Zoo, hinted that something extraordinary might bo expected soon * . later I, by agreement, met him in tlio_ garden; and he caught a lien, showed it to me, and aslcd me to tell him what it was. I told him that it seemed to bo a result of a cross between a fowl with a silky strain in it, and another domestic iowl or some variety—fowls such as were running in tho enclosure in which we were. But Mr. Langridge assured me that he received tho. strange hen from a gentleman who somo years ago received it from some Maori friends; and that it was said to be a hybrid between a weka and a domestic fowl. I remember reading that one of Now Zealand's leading ornithologists once mado more than one' oxperimcnt .to try to obtain a crossbred between a weka and a game fowl; but I bad not heard of any having been obtained before Mr. Langridge showed mo his latest protege. Some of its feathers have a resemblance to tho plumago of tho weka; and we are told that the hen has never been able to fly. .It has been thought that tho weka and the 'domestic fowl are too unlike each other to produce hybrids by a cross bo twee ri them. What is the Zoo's now inmate'< Departures, and Deaths. . I see that it is reported that two young jackals died recently. Well, Mr.Langridge and the jackals may all be congratulated on that. The "ittle mother jackal gave birth to seven babies ; one of them was still-born, and bis were roared, but they. wore too many to be strong. It wouldn't pain me to hear of the early departure of one or two more. Two departures, or one especially, must however be noted with regret. One little 6ea-lion that was in tho Zoo for a few weaks was establishing himself in ''he favouritism of a great many admirers when the time came for lum, or her, to go. Of course it was known when tho young sea-lions were placed in the Zoo that thoy were only temporarily lodged, but good-tem-pered lions soon get to bis regarded with affection even by. human .beings, and the departure of oiir young friends, especially that of the younger of the two, caused considerable sorrow.

The Aquarium and Mr. A. Leigh Hunt. I don't know whether Mr. Hunt'has j ever seen the aquarium or no': but the following paragraph appeared in Thk Dominion - on - Friday, the 12th inetaat; — , It is good town-planning to hare your factories all in one quarter of the city, remarked Mr. A. Leigh Hunt at the Municipal Electors' meeting last evening, and yet on any morning one can see the chim-ney-stacks belching forth smoke at all parts of the city, poisoning the air, and thus shortening tho lives of the inhabitants, and- certainly interfering considerably with the health of infants. Mr. Hunt considered that facilities sTiould.be provided to make an industrial 6uburb oh tic shores of Evans Bay. 5 Now, I quota this paragraph Because when my friend Mr. Castle, who is a chemist, had road my noto on vegetation in a tank, inibiding carbonic acid gas and giving off oxygen, he said: '"The aquarium seems to indicate that trees should bo planted, not only in cemeteries, but, also, where foundries and factories send forth gases that trees should imbibe. 1 must not raise a controversy with Mr. Hunt, but I must 1 6ay that the Government of. the Dominion has,, by placing an aquarium in Newtown Park, granted to me a kind of mental recreation, in the course of which I have enjoyed much scientific thought and received many important suggestions, one of which I offer to Mr. Hunt, and to all th<j other readers of my notes—it is that to oonveft dangerous eruptions into healthy influences trees should be scientifically arranged near factories. What's' What. Tho City Council and the Wellington Zoological Society want to get six flamingoes, and I have read and beard that the council is willing to purchase a' femalo leopard, a meerkat, and a Both Mr. Castle Mr. •Langridge have been in communication with -Australia lately ; and numerous inquiries have been made; but what tc oxpect or when to expect it we do not exactly know just now. It is well foi us to remember, however, that whila war has been raging in several parts of the world, our Zoo has been steadily growing and improving. The progress has been so steady, and has so quietly prevailed, while in our immediate neighbourhood. as well as in more distant parts, - there has been so much to distract the attention of our friends, that it may be well for us to give a reminder of increases that have lately appeared in our little collection. The following animals, that are now there, have taken their places within the last few months, viz.:— 1 lion. :

2 sea-lions. . , 1 valuable wild cat (marked nk© & leopard). • , ' ~ 1 patriotic sheep (that was sold more than once for the Belgian or some other' fund before he was bought). 4 .young Indian wolves (born in the Zoo). 3 or 4 young jackals (born m tho Zoo). ' , 1 goat (born in the Zoo). Several beautiful Angora rabbits (born in the Zoo). ' • Numerous ducks (hatched and reared in the Zoo). 3 .young peacocks (born in the Zoo). 4 flightless ducks. 1 tooth-billed pigeon. 2 Samoan fruit pigeons. 1 Diamond dove from Samoa. 1 rail lrom Samoa. Several koas. _ 1 wonderful hen (said to be a hybrid between a weka and a domestic fowl). 1 red kangaroo (in poucb). 3 wekas. 1 40 Japanese fantail goldfish. . 2 blue 'penguins. 2 laughing kingfishers (better known as laughing jackasses). 2 tuatara., • Several'black rabbits and, a groat many.doves and pigeons. At least a hundred animals —a very interesting Zoo of themselves.