NATURAL HISTORY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2534, 7 August 1915, Page 9

NATURAL HISTORY NOTES

NEW ARRIVALS AT. THE.ZOO, [By John Castle, Hon. Secretary of the Wellington. Zoological Society.] It is extremely gratifying to bo ablo to report that on the first day of August tlio Zoo, as an oxhibition, was richer in beauty, variety, and general interest than at any previous time. The collection of animals which the Hon. 11. EL Rhodes kindly arranged with ray society for tho Government of the Dominion to lend to tho City of Wellington was received by Mr. Fathers, the president of oar society, on tho previous Friday, and on the following day was placed on exhibition in tho Zoo, by Mr. Lajigr'dgo, the Curator of the Zoo, so that on Sunday, August 1, most of the new arrivals had settled comfortably in their new domiciles and were much admired. Iridiscent and Superb. The most beautiful member of the Government's exhibit is the Canadian summer duck. The Mandarin drake is said to_be the most, gorgeously' and eccentrically decorated of all birds, y ell, there aro some beautiful drakes in tho Zoo, but to my mind the wood .or' summer duck seems to eclipse in richness of gloss, sheen', and splendour even the wonderful Mandarin. The man, woman, or child that has never seen a wood duck, and would not. walk three miles and pay a shilling to see' the summer drake that is now in tho 'Wellington Zoo is too dull, to be envied. Every person should see this handsome bird. Once seen it lingers in' tho. memory, where it lives, a thing of beauty and a joy for ever.. . A Charming Mlmlo. Tho little' k.lki! is likely to be another attractive member of the. Government exhibit. Ho seems as though he had a history. There is a ring -encircling his .leg, and in the. side of the ring there is a hole as though a chain had been attached to it._ But Mr. Laugridge tells me that the bird is a baby, although it can speak Maori. My. acquaintance with the little fellow is ! not sufficient to enable.me to speak confidently of his linguistic •"attainments, but ha seems precocious, and he . whistles. rather comically. •, The Peacocks. "I' have seen many peacocks, but I never saw one equal to the peacock, in the Zoo when he displayed, his charms, last summer," said" a gentleman" a few days ago. That was only expressing in words a feeling that many persons have enjoyed. There is in the Zoo a magnificent peacock; and with him there are two line hens of his species. Late last year tliree young birds were hatched, from eggs laid by'the ■ hens. One of tho ~voiing_ ones weathered the cold of winter, which came before the lato young birds were ready. This' young one is a splendid hen.; Lately, the Hon. R. H. Rhodes arranged for a. white peacock to be-, ..loaned , by. the Government' for es-. llibition in they Zoo.' Now, there arc a magnificent, peacock from the wild, two hensj worthy of his company, .a fino. white peacock, and a' young, hen, the only bird of 'tho peacock species ever born in the Wellington- Zoo. . The bird from tho wild doffed his splendid raiment when the dark- days of. winter camo; he is_ pre-eminently a bird of sunshine. _ Now : he is evolving a new suit, and if there is anything more wonderful than the evolving,, weaving, forming, fitting, and colouring of' the summer clothing of,that bird I do not know' where to tad it. To watch the growth of the .peacock's tail is an education. And with that wo should study the pattern in tho tail of the white peacock. Roses and "Tho, Dominion."• The grounds of tho' Zoo are to be adorned with roses; 'The Wellington Rose , and Carnation Club leads in tie movement for 'this' adornment. The WelliiiKton City Council has risen to the occasion, and tho Tlios. Horton, Limited, Company,--of Hastings' and Pahiatua. has sent the valuable contribution" mentioned in tho letter 'hereto i subjoined. ; Writing to our ex-presi-dent,' tho- company. said":— . . "Some time ago we noticed . in' The Dominion a report on the Wei- " lingtoii Zoo, in which' ive wcro 'very [ much interested.,' In that-report, you.:isaid that you wanted to see', the Zoo beautified,, and would like, to sco it adorned with roses. On' behalf of our firm, I should .like to make you a presentation' of fifty ..' roses for ;this. purpose, if you care j to accopt them. I 'may say the varieties''will embrace all the leading kinds, and those most suitablo : for the Wellington district. If . you accopt, kindly let us know later ' on where and when to forward." The offer was gratefully accepted, and tho roses were duly forwarded.