on Mantell’s Apteryx.



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was kept in the “ new ostrich house,” then recently built in the

north-east corner of the Gardens. The writer well remembers this

structure; it contained five loose boxes and was paved with brick,

and was used for housing the Society’s Cassowaries. In later years

it also contained a good series of Apteryxes — Apteryx oiveni and

A. australis, as well as A. mantelli. This interesting little building

was eventually pulled down to make way for the new zebra house,

which was completed in 1899.


The public flocked to see the Apteryx. In the daytime she

slept in a square deal box, one side of which was hinged to allow

easy inspection of the inmate; there was also a back exit covered

with a curtain of sacking. The bird was fed on earthworms, for

which she used to probe in a heap of soil placed in the stall; she

never stamped her feet “ to bring the worms to the surface ”—thus

exploding one more zoological myth. She was bad-tempered, and

no wonder, for she had been teased on board ship, and being

frequently disturbed for inspection would not tend to improve

matters. Fresh bands of visitors were admitted to the little house;

London came to view the Apteryx as it had come to see the hippo¬

potamus the year before, and in the year after would come to see the

great Anteater. Apparently the public expected to see a bird at least

as big as a Cassowary, and was frankly disappointed. “ What a

little thing it is” was the constant remark of visitors, for the

distinguished stranger was no bigger than a large fowl. This, or

another individual, is excellently figured in two positions in the Rev.

J. G. Wood’s ‘ Illustrated Natural History,’ standing by a pool in the

moonlight, with fern scrub, which gives a good idea of the size of the

bird. In figuring any animal, and especially one that is new or little

known, such accessories should always be introduced to indicate the

comparative size of the subject portrayed. Unfortunately, in the old

natural histories this point was too often neglected, the so-called

“ illustration ” frequently giving a totally erroneous impression of

size.


The Apteryx throve, and lived many years in the Zoo, under

the successive (and successful) care of three superintendents—

Messrs. Miller, Thompson, and A. D. Bartlett. On June 9th, 1859,

she laid an egg, and another in February, 1860. After this she


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