SECRETARY'S REPORT 107 



uoiisly marked as to be choice exhibits. They have hitherto been 

 considered rare. 



Specimens of the large Meller's chameleon {Chamaeleon melleri) 

 were received from J. D. Handman, of Nyasaland, Africa. These 

 are rare in collections, and their size, conspicuous coloration, and a 

 peculiarly shaped projection on the end of the nose make them showy 

 exhibition animals. Mr, Handman also sent such rarities as giant 

 wingless crickets {Enyaliopsis petersi) . quaint blesmols {C rt/ptomys) , 

 and numerous reptiles. 



A splendid specimen of the black-headed python {Aspidites melano- 

 cephalus) of Australia was received. This is a large snake that had 

 never before been in the Zoo collection. 



The three-banded armadillos {Tolypeutes tricinctus) received from 

 central South America are interesting little creatures not much larger 

 than a good-sized grapefruit. They are the first this Zoo has ever 

 exhibited. 



A pair of the large burrowing gopherlike tuco-tuco {Ctenomys sp.) , 

 also from central South America, makes an interesting exhibit and the 

 first of its kind the Zoo has had. 



Six Labrador lemmings {Dwrosto-nyx hudsonius) , likewise the first 

 that have been exhibited here, were received from the Arctic Institute 

 of North America thi'ough Dr. Graham Kowley, T. H. Manning, and 

 Dr. A. L. Washburn. 



The big black-bellied hamsters {Cricetus cricetus) of eastern Europe 

 are striking contrasts to the much smaller and better-known golden 

 hamsters that have become so popular as pets. Efforts are being made 

 to breed these. None have previously been exhibited in the Zoo. 



Three large mouselike creatures {Mastomys coucha) , new to the col- 

 lection, are particularly interesting because they are used in Africa 

 as laboratory animals and are now being tried out in the United States 

 for research work. They were turned over to the Zoo by the Army 

 Medical Center. 



Three specimens of the rarely found little burrowing frog {Oera- 

 tophrys calcarata) of Colombia were received. These, also, are new 

 to the collection. 



Other animals that, though not the first of their kind in the Zoo, 

 are sufficiently rare or interesting to be noteworthy include a pencil- 

 tailed tree mouse {Chiropodomys gJiroides) from the Malay Penin- 

 sula; hairy armadillos {Ckaetophractus vUJosus) \ least marmoset 

 {Callithrix pygmaea) ; two of the rare and peculiar maned or crested 

 rat {LopMomys imhausi) of Africa; white-tailed Colobus monkey 

 {Colohus polykomos) ; potto {Perodicticus potto) ; brush-tailed porcu- 

 pines {Atherurus africaniis) ; young mandrills {MandrUhis sphinx) ; 

 shoebill stork {Balaeniceps rex) ; black-necked swan {Cygnus melan- 

 coriphus) ; a king vulture {Sarcorhamphus papa) ; quetzals {Phao'O- 



