8 



Blackfriars and other bridges is the Gull in question, 

 without his black cap. 



How does he lose his summer head gear ? Not as 

 most believe by moulting, nor by extraction of the 

 black pigment by cells which MeichnikofF has 

 described in other instances, as phagocytes, but by 

 the black tips of the white feathers falling off iu this 

 season, and the way he regains his summer coat is by 

 a spring moult, when he sheds his " betipped" white 

 ones and grows a pure white feather again with a 

 triangular patch of black at its end. 



Adjoining the Gull aviary, in the Seal pond, is a 

 white variety of the Black-footed Penguin, not a pure 

 albino as his wings are a normal colour, also his tail, 

 pupils and irides are not red, this anomaly being quite 

 common in the bird world, and is often seen in 

 pheasants. 



Opposite the Seal pond, and between the Monkey 

 house and the Bear pit, is a new enclosure for birds, 

 to be opened in the spring. Outside are cages not 

 unlike those at the back of the Parrot house. Inside 

 there are large cages on either side, like those fre- 

 quented by the Birds of Paradise, etc., in the Insect 

 house, and in the middle of the room, in three rows, 

 are arranged smaller cages amounting to sixty-four. 

 Some more smaller cages exist on the two narrow walls. 

 The place is to be lighted by gas. A pity it is not electric 

 light, as then perhaps Humming Birds might be 

 induced to live with us. 



Another alteration, which is at the same time a 

 good improvement is under way, it is the enlarge- 

 ment forwards of the Kite aviary to about the same 

 length as the original cages b}^ the refreshment house. 



