63 



etc., with a tuft of hair-like phiiiies behind it. The 

 sonorous and peculiar trumpet-like note emitted by 

 Cranes is probably due to the formation of their wind- 

 pipe, which makes three turns in the bony wall of 

 the breast bone ; it is heard both during flight and 

 while on the ground, and is accompanied by a 

 characteristic stretching upwards of the neck and bill, 

 the latter being kept open all the time. In the 

 breeding season the birds perform extraordinary 

 dances. 



The new building devoted to Owls is a great 

 improvement on the old one, as each aviary is pro- 

 vided with a shelter into wliich the birds can retire at 

 night. There are nineteen aviaries, containing about 

 forty Owls, making a very good collection. Among 

 the specimens represented are the Tawny Owl, the 

 largest of the Owls indigenous to Great Britian ; the 

 Barn or Screech Owl, by far the commonest, inhabiting 

 almost every country in the World ; and two fine 

 specimens of the Snowy Owl, one from the Arctic 

 regions, and the other captured at sea off Cape Race. 

 This Owl migrates southwards in the Winter. There 

 are also specimens of the Striped Owl, Naked-footed 

 Owlet, Cape Eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, Great Eagle 

 Owl, (two bred in the Gardens), Eraser's Eagle Owl, 

 Spotted Virginian, and Cape and Milky Eagle Owl, 

 Ural Owl, Australian, Mexican, African and Galapagan 

 Owl, and last but not least the Winking Owl, why so 

 called I do not know, because the nictitating membrane 

 or third eyelid is equally well developed in all the 

 *' striges." 



Next comes the Pheasantry, containing many 

 excellent examples of these lovely birds. In the first 



