ZOO NOTES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3143, 23 July 1917, Page 7

ZOO NOTES

THE NEWTOWN ROSARY DEATH OF ONE OF THE CAMELS (By John to.t,]p. Secretary of the WolJinglon Zoological Society.l. Some beautiful roses were mown in tho Wellington Zoological Garden last year; but; propnrations are i regressing io produce a. much belter show when spring and summer, with their genial spirits, woo Ifftj uymphic charms of sylvan leaves and ' blushful flowers in the prescnt-growine: Willi glowing hearts, surcharged with faith and hope and pride, and fruitful determination, a. goodlv company of Members r-r tho Wellington Rose and Carnation Society recently doffed their holiday coats, and, as patriots l , "when least adorned adorned tho most." devoted themselves to nlanlfhg rose? in the, Newtown rosary, with such commendable energy that Uw» well-known taiboa. stroke was vndered conspicuous by its absence. I'P where some rhodend'rons. that onco [toniisod well, had later failed, perspiring winter workers studded wit:h promises of beautiful flowers dull patches that \-:ll soon laugh with .rosy liveliness. Vnto. I here seemed to br> striking- incongruity no-lif-eable, between Cambric fronts -niti dirty boots, and botwesn delicate, hands and heavy spades; but to see, in Wellington, spades substituted for a>es. and priming-knives for saws, though only for a. single af(ernoon. was enough to transform amateur gardeners into angels to the minds of Nature-lovers, and to fill poplii: hearts wilh anticipatory ecstasies. A Valuable Acquisition. "Well, this is worth tin afternoon," said a. visitor, speaking to tho other members of a. little party, thai .L-.iplored the Wellington Zoo. recently. "Yes;" replied another, "a. fine afternoon could not be bettor spent." Such recn are a credit, to the human,' race; and it. was pleasing to notice that. Ihe young ladies that; accompanied them also had their eves and hearts and intellect.? alive Io (he- study of the wonders they had tome In see. There are in our little Zio n:any very interesting exhibits. "King Dick's" head, the fallow- deer's antlers, the. Amherst; or hybrid pheasant's tail, and the variegated peacock's train., are strikingly beautiful; and the whole tit-out of the (lock of .Mandarin ducks, tho group of Canadian summer ducks, the golden pheasants,' tho honey-eaters, and tho canaries is simply superb. Then theie iir'a a few other animals fhnf should open iho eyes of tourists, who have visited all tho other Zoos in (ho world—(he. Mai gay l-al, Ihe tooth-billed pigeon, anil tho dogs from the. great Antarctic, expeditions, and .lacko (the "mascot monkey) are eyoupeners: aye, and now an eaglo owl has come into the light. Any person who likes to see a look of amazement should see a real live Yankee or cockney patriot as "Sfr. Crowes singles out animal after animal in our Zoo, and challenges a haughty, lioaslful foreigner to tell wl,c-ro in any pari; of the world lie ever saw such animals as we caa show in our Zoo. 'I'lio eaglo owl was recently broiigbt from Africa, and is now settling down to new conditions, coming to tho light, and incidentally demonstrating the peculiarity that this species of owl evinces by which it can enjoy light moro than most; owls covet. Unfortunately, naughty boys, and tintlionghtful men, leascd_ the noble bird that, desired to bo friendly, and the superior I'nimal, disgusted with the genus homo, lias retired to his exalted box, from which ho sublimely surveys humanity, and treats with apparent curiosity ai;jj dislike, if not contempt, Adam's eccentrical, if not. genuinely eccentric,'descendants.

Intcrminglcrs or Interpreters? Somotimes when I am in the. Opera House, just when the orchestra gets into tune and the music is most exquisite, somo unmusical member of the aitiliouco starts criticising aloud, and in sepulchral tones, tho heavenly notes of the musicians. Like as that hoarse coaTse-ue-s works upon my nerves, so do printers' or readers' errors mar my sweetness when p read my Notes, where somo person tells" my good friends, the readers of them, that sparrows, of which 1 reported that they, with their peculiar notes, harmoniously jntoiopci'sed tho iDiisjc. of their co-molodist.s the starlings, interpreted tho starlings' notes. 1 may in haste at times hnvo spoken unkindly of sparrows; but I never, cold-bloodedly, defamed tho character of a. sparrow by hinting that ho could beconio a critic. The Emu and the Slag. Thoro is no emu in the Wellington Zoo, but .that Australian bird ought to bo represented there. A gentleman in New Zealand recently oft'eretl to present one, per the Wellington Zoological Society, but the bird lie offered was not young, and \\».<> so far away, that I respectfully, though very reluctantly, on behalf of tho society declined tho offer. If any, kind friend would ofi'er two or thrco young 'oiuii:. f would gladly welcomo them, ami t feel sure that (ho licscrves Committee of the "Wellington City Council would eagerly accept them: Another gentleman recently offered a red deer for tho Zoo, but as thoro aro several red deer there already, and food for such animals is a consideration, just now, my socioty declined tho responsibility of passing on another deer of tho red species. Tho Zoological Society very highly appreciates and gratefully acknowledges the kindness of friends who favour tho Zoo }vilh their attentions, but for a. while our policy must bo ono of keen discrimination and cautious progrcssivciiAs. A Great Loss. Whon an expert was brought from Australia, to inspect and report on tho Wellington Zoo, ono of the principal faults that ho discovered was that, the handsome dromedary lhaf, was there was too fat. Later that magnificent animal died. Soon afterwards the Wellington Zoological Society agreed with tho City Council lo buy a pair of young camels to tako tho place that.,tho deceased previously occupied Tho two were purchased at Perth A. long time passed before they were landed in "Wellington, but in course of time, and at great rest, they were brought For a. considerable time (hey seemed lo grow and. thrive, and my society, although we contributed twice as much as we. promised to towards the cost of the animals, was pleased with the result. Several times 1 saw them, and was delighted a.l; their spirited and happy appearance; but a few day's ago Councillor frost told rue that tho male camel was dead. Now grumbling is not one of my accomplishments; 1 therefore, lo proven I. a, need for if. suggest that when «ny valuable ;:nimal that my society has helped l« procurn become-, dangerously di.-.eased or injured, f. might, as a. matter of courtesy, bo favoured wilh an intimation of tho danger, and that my society might, bo allowed to appoint a. veterinary surgeon lo report on tho animal should the. society deem a report desirable.