2 16



Reviews.



in during the first seven years. The present Director however

commenced a detailed list of the stock directly he took charge in

189S, and this has been carefully kept up to date.


During the last twelve years 8,250 animals have been

registered at the Gardens, of which 4,010 were birds. The pro¬

gress made is shown in a Table published of the number of

animals living in each year. I11 1898 the total was 270, and this

has gradually increased until in 1910 there were 1,464.


Captain Flower has introduced a most valuable feature

into his List, namely figures showing the maximum ascertained

length of life in the Gardens of an individual of each species.


In the case of some of the smaller birds, the length of life

has been probably longer than stated, for in a collection of

specimens of the same species it is not possible to recognise each

individual, and when one dies it is presumed to be the earliest

acquired. Thus no exaggeration of longivity can appear in the

records.


Turning to the records themselves we find that a Redstart

has lived 1 year 6 months and 6 days, and was still alive when

the Report was written ; a Red-throated Pipit r year, 6 months,

27 days, and still alive ; a Pintailed Whydah, 5 years, 10 months,

and still alive; while a Paradise Whydah was living when the

Report was compiled, which had been in the Gardens for 9 years,


2 months and 7 days. A common Avadavat lived for 7 years and

5 months; while a Java Sparrow lived for over 10 years, and a

Pintail Nonpareil for over 4 years, and so on.


There are several records of species having been bred in

the Gardens, such as the Yellow Sparrow (1), Grey-headed Love¬

bird (8), Griffon Vulture (1), White Pelican (5), Buff-backed

Heron (many), White-faced Whistling Duck (16), Barred Dove

(27), Crowned Pigeon (3), Spotted Sand-grouse (2), Hey’s

Partridge (41) and Green-backed Porphyrio (10).


That Captain Flower has done much for the Giza Gardens

is known not only to those who have been fortunate enough to

visit them, but to all who have followed their progress by their

publications, and now it is evident from the present Report, that

the Gardens and their live-stock reflect the greatest credit upon

their able Director and his assistant. D. S.-S.



