ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY HULLETIX. 



691 



wild birds in sucli a way as to givu protection 

 throughout the year to IG genera (including in 

 each case all species). The effect is to protect 

 practically all the native birds of Natal. The 

 old Act included only six species. — London 

 Times. 



MR. DITMARS' "REPTILES OF THE 

 WORLD." 



The appearance of such a work as "The Rep- 

 tiles of the World," by Raymond L. Ditmars, 

 Curator of Rej)tiles in the Zoological Park, may 

 fairly be regarded as a noteworthy event. Its 

 chief interest is found in the fact that the effort 

 covers a new field, and is adapted to the wants 

 of the millions rather than to those of the scien- 

 tific few. 



It is a stately octave volume, admirable in 

 typography, and very satisfactorily illustrated. 

 It is not an illustrated catalogue of genera and 

 species, but a book that is "readable," from be- 

 ginning to end. It treats of the reptiles of the 

 world, quite as comprehensively as could reason- 

 ably be expected in one volume of practicable 

 size; and it affords the reader an excellent gen- 

 eral view of the little-known world of turtles 

 and tortoises, crocodilians, lizards and serpents. 

 So far as we are aware, this is the first popular- 

 scientific work ever published on the reptiles of 

 the world ; and in saying this we take due note 

 of the existence of sections on reptiles in the 

 natural histories, and also of Dr. Gadow's sci- 

 entific treatise. 



Naturall}', it will be to the members of the 

 Zoological Society some cause for satisfaction 

 that this valuable contribution to zoology has 

 emanated from the Zoological Park, and con- 

 tains scores of fine illustrations reproduced 

 photographically from Park specimens. The 

 volume is published by the Sturgis and Walton 

 Company, of New York; it contains 373 pages, 

 and nearly 200 illustrations of representative 

 species. The author sets forth only those spe- 

 cies that best represent the important genera, 

 and has wisely refrained from attempting to 

 handle a great number of forms. W. T. H. 



THE LESSER VASA PARROT. 



Pronounced black is the last color one would 

 expect to find among the members of the Parrot 

 Family, and it really is very uncommon. Its 

 occurrence is best known among the nine species 



of splendid black cockatoos of Australia, one of 

 which, the Banksian, is represented by a very 

 fine specimen in the collection of the Zoological 

 Society. The highest quality of iridescent black 

 is found among a few species of the Loriidae or 

 Lories, but among the true parrots of the Fam- 

 ily Psittacidae, this color is rare, and is confined 

 to six species, five of which are members of the 

 genus Coracopsis, the Vasa Parrots, inhabiting 

 Madagascar and the small neighboring islands. 

 These birds have been brought into the United 

 States on very Infrequent occasions, and the few 

 arrivals have generally been the Greater Vasa, 

 (C. I'aza). 



The Lesser \'asa Parrot, (C nigra), is found 

 solely in Madagascar, also the home of the 

 Greater. The indiWdual of the former species 

 which recently has been added to the Zoological 

 Society's collection, is of an ashy -black color, 

 slightly inclining to rusty on the head. The 

 bill is somewhat lighter in tone than the body, 

 forming a striking contrast to the sombre plinn- 

 age. 



Although closely related to the graj- parrots, 

 which are unquestionably the finest talkers of 

 the entire group, the Vasas do not appear ever 

 to acquire any great degree of linguistic ability. 

 Consequently they are not popular as pets, even 

 in Europe, having the added drawbacks of rarity 

 and funereal coloration on the wrong side of de- 

 sirability. They are, however, very quiet and 

 docile, seldom giving way to the violent spasms 

 of rage which too often mar the pleasures of 

 parrot keeping. L. S. C. 



ANNOUNCEMENT. 



Dr. C. H. Townsend, Director of the New 

 York Aquarium, has been appointed Acting Di- 

 rector of the American ^luseum of Natural His- 

 tory until December 15, 1910; Director H. C. 

 Bumpns having been granted leave of absence 

 until that time. Dr. Ra3'mond C. Osburn, of 

 Columbia University, has been appointed As- 

 sistant Director, to take charge of the Aquarium 

 under the general sujiervision of Dr. Townsend. 



All those interested in the work of the Society 

 in the Zoological Park, or Aquarium, are cor- 

 dially invited to become members. Information 

 concerning membership may be obtained at the 

 office of the Society, 11 Wall Street, at the Zoo- 

 logical Park or the Aquarium. 



