Reviews , Notices, etc.



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All five eggs hatched, and the chicks are described as “ of

a yellowish grey, darker on the tipper side and lighter below, and

have, what makes them most conspicuously beautiful, bright

canary-yellow heads, with the most delicate greyish sheen over

them, caused by the extremity of the longer down-hairs being

of that colour. The bill is black with a flesh-coloured tip. A

little spot in front of each eye is also blackish. The legs are

olive-green.” Curiously enough, this description applies to only

three of the chicks, as in the other two the part was white which

in the others was yellow. Unfortunately none of these chicks

was reared, one after the other getting something wrong

with its breathing organs, and the last dying a fortnight after

they were hatched.


Aviculturists will sympathise heartily with Mr. Blaauw

over his misfortune in the loss of this fine brood of exceedingly

rare birds, and will sincerely hope that better fortune may favour

him in the coming season.



THE GIZA ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.


Captain Stanley S. Flower, the director of the Zoological

Gardens at Giza, near Cairo, sends us the Report on that

institution for last year. The menagerie appears to be in a most

flourishing condition. The birds numbered 526 specimens, com¬

prising 112 species, on October 6th last, and amongst other interest¬

ing species are three specimens of the rare Whale-headed Stork,

Dalceniceps rex. Two specimens of this remarkable bird were

received alive by the London Zoological Society in April 1S60,

and there is one living specimen now at Khartoum, but these

and. the specimens now in the Giza Zoo are believed to be the

only examples ever kept in captivity. It is interesting to note

that a daily list of the wild birds observed in the gardens is

kept, and during last year the following species were noted :—

Blue-throated Warbler, Roller, Turtle Dove (71 auritus'). Rock

Dove, Little 'Egret, Spoonbill, and Coot.



