PONDS, PADDOCKS, AND AVIARIES 37 



grouped about an old cedar. Beyond this, and towards the 

 right, stretch other lawns and shrubberies. Here was the 

 long line of large aviaries devoted to waders, doves and other 

 birds. Opposite these again, and partly sheltered by over- 

 hanging trees and scrub, where Mantell's apteryx hid from 

 daylight and laid its egg, was a large natural shallow pool, 

 in which flamingoes waded and a few wildfowl swam. 



On the opposite side of the house the ground falls 

 quickly to the river, and here, close to the wall, was the 

 twisted beech tree in which the ravens made their nest ; 

 and a little farther on, the summer enclosure of the 

 elephantine tortoise which it took five men to lift. 



Directly behind the house is a wide courtyard, about 

 which were situated a variety of living things. Here the 

 Spanish bear lived in its corner ; and close by it the 

 pair of bonxies, or great skuas ('robber gulls') shared 

 a subdivided enclosure with great bustards and Bewick's 

 swans. In another corner was the eagles' aviary, and 

 near it a long glass-covered house, where the lemurs were, 

 and long rows of cages containing beautiful and rare 

 finches, blue jays, jay-shrikes, the grakles, and other birds 

 described in the presidential address. 



On the same side, but away beyond the house, about 

 two acres of ground had been completely enclosed, and 

 were known as the Pinetum. It contained fine timber 

 trees, shrubberies, grass, and water, and was entirely sur- 

 rounded with a high iron fence and wire netting. This 

 netting was made cat-proof and fox-proof, by splaying 



