684 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY RTtLLETIN. 



very correctly wrought out. Fortunately, the 

 presence of the entire skull leaves no room for 

 argument regarding the external anatomy of tin 

 head. 



The Chinese Takin, which is quite distinct 

 from the :SIishmi species, is a genuine zoological 

 oddity, like the musk-ox, prong-horn and moun- 

 tain goat. It has the heavy, burly body and 

 hump of an overgrown mountain goat, thick and 

 climisy legs like a musk-ox, hoofs like a Texas 

 steer, and horns that are quite unique. The 

 shoulder height of our specimen is fifty inches, 

 oirth sixty-seven inches, and when alive it must 

 have weighed about 600 pounds. Its longest 

 horn has a length of nineteen and five-eightlis 

 inches, and a basal circumference of eleven and 

 one-half inches. The widest spread at the bas. 

 of the horns is seventeen inches, and betweni 

 the tills, thirteen and three-quarter inches. Mr. 

 ]\Iitchell shot the animal in the Province of 

 Szechuan, western China, near the eastern bor- 

 der of Tibet, in 1908. W. T. H. 



THE SECRETARY BIRD. 



Bij Lee S. Crandall. 



NO matter what may be the age or standing 

 of a zoological collection, there are always 

 certain elusive creatures which are con- 

 stantlv sought to increase its scientific value and 

 interest. Whenever a special desideratum is ac- 

 quired, somehow another long-felt want prompt- 

 ly rises to take its place. As every collector 

 knows, one of the greatest pleasures in gather- 

 ing a collection of living creatures is the sudden 

 acquisition of a species that has eluded all ef- 

 forts to procure it. 



The Secretary Bird, (Serpentarius serpen- 

 tarius Miller) is not the rarest bird among 

 European zoological gardens. In fact, these 

 birds have many times been exhibited in the 

 older institutions, and have there gained an en- 

 viable reputation as entertainers and educators. 

 It is said to be a popular amusement among 

 a certain class of Englishmen to give a zoo 

 bird-keeper a "bob" to see the Secretary Bird 

 stamp on a rat! Under ordinary conditions, it 

 would seem that a Secretary Bird should not be 

 particularly difficult to secure ; but it hapjjcns 

 that as a rule every arrival in European ports 

 is instantly purchased by some enterprising col- 

 lector, and therefore living specimens are seldom 

 offered in America. 



Last winter, however, a New York dealer in- 

 formed the Director that his foreign agents had 

 secured a very fine pair of Secretaries, which lie 



rKl-l'AklNl, III SrK'iKI 

 The bird advances with deliberation. 



offered to deliver at the Park for a sum none too 

 modest. Needless to say, the offer was imme- 

 diately accepted, not without misgivings as to 

 the ability of the dealer to fill his contract. 

 Great was our delight, therefore, when word 

 was received that the coveted pair was about to 

 be delivered at the Park ! Their wings having 

 already been clipped, they were turned at once 

 into one of the large runs at the Ostrich House, 

 which had been prepared for them. After a 

 much-needed stretching of the great expanse of 

 wing and length of limb, the_y graciously ac- 

 cepted their first meal of rats, cheerfully swal- 

 lowing them whole ! 



The Secretary Bird is a huge ground hawk, 

 with legs as long as those of a sand-hill crane. 

 It is a handsome bird, stately in pose and very 

 alert and quick in movement. When erect the 

 male is easily four feet high, the greater part of 

 it being contributed by his neck and legs. 



In general color the bird is a soft, ashy-gray, 

 the wings, thighs and abdomen being black, and 

 the breast white. The graj' middle tail feathers 

 are so long as nearly to touch the ground when 

 the bird is standing. In the male, the naked 

 skin of the face is yellow, and the long, heavy 

 eye-lashes well set off the handsome, gray eyes. 

 The crowning beauty of the bird, however, lies 

 in the two, long, black cockades which grow at 

 either side of the back of the head. These 

 feather tufts are said to have suggested the pop- 

 ular name of the species, from their supposed 



