46 



H few BiiOs at the Zoo. 



Ey Jame.S McDonagh. 



j^ KING a regular visitor to the Zoo, I see maii}^ 

 \q\ new animals and miss many inmates that have 

 ^-^^ joined the majority. 



I have been there twice quite recently, and I 

 was surprised to notice on my last visit how many 

 birds had gone, that were looking well a short while 

 ago. 



The bird that I missed most of all was the 

 Emerald Bird of Paradise, which was kept in the 

 Insect House ; I am sure all who saw it will be sorry to 

 hear that it died of "tuberculins" as the keeper called 

 it, early in the 3^ear ; it had been ailing for some 

 time, and it never got accustomed to its food ; it had 

 a slight injury under one wing, probabh' caused by the 

 natives while effecting its capture. 



In the same house there were two beautiful 

 Mynahs, one of which could just speak a few words; 

 these birds evidenth^ do well in captivit3% as one of 

 them has been in the Zoo since 1885. The yellow 

 patches round their necks were especially brilliant. 

 Their food consists of meat very fineh' chopped up, 

 fruit, and rice, and a little maw seed is given 

 •occasionalh\ 



Next to the Mynali was an Indian Pitta, a curious 

 looking bird, which gives one the impression of having 

 no tail. The breast is fawn-coloured and its back is 

 very brilliant. The Natural History Museum has four 

 or five beautiful specimens of this bird, but their 

 colouring is very much more gorgeous, so they must 

 be of the insular species. Pittas are occasion alh^ 

 seen in the market, and they generally fetch about 

 £^ each. 



