ZOOLOGKAI. SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



693 



which it sends to the farthest boundary of the 

 Garden. These have a remarkable echo quality 

 as when one calls in a great empty stone hall. 

 These animals live well and are easily procured. 



A small but attractive exhibit is the Peafowl 

 Pavilion, consisting of a large wire-covered oval, 

 with a slighter shelter in the center. In the 

 four divisions into which this is divided are 

 magnificent sjiecimens of the Indian, Javan, 

 black-winged and white peafowl, and when the 

 males of all four are simultaneously spreading 

 their trains it forms a beautiful sight. 



.Judging from the number of porcupines on 

 exhibition, death must be unknown to them. 

 Thanks to a regular system of 

 exchange with Australian Zoo- 

 logical Gardens, marsupials are 

 well represented, especially 

 tree wallabies and kangaroos, 

 which breed freely. To see 

 kangaroos placidly perched on 

 the topmost branches of tall 

 trees is a shock to one's ideas 

 of the life of these saltatores. 



The exhibition of ruminants 

 is unusually full and complete, 

 especially as regards Indian 

 and Chinese species. The most 

 unusual is the Formosan deer. 

 (Cervus taeimnus), a pale gray- 

 ish-brown animal of the axis 

 type, with extremely faint spots. 

 Small herds of the mithan. or 

 gayal. (Bos frontalis), and 

 banting, {Bos sondaicvs), i n - 



eluded magnificent males, a s 

 full of fire and spirit as the 

 most high-bred bull. An in- 

 teresting, although u n - g e o - 

 graphical association is that of 

 .1 iierd of Indian gazelles and a 

 inunber of emeus peacefully 

 feeding together in a large 

 paddock. All the deer a n d 

 cattle breed freely. 



T h e Indian rhinoceros in- 

 stallation is a perfect one. Two 

 acres of low ground, partly 

 shaded by palm trees and bam- 

 boos, is bounded by a low ce- 

 ment wall, on wliich one can 

 easih' rest one's elbows. In the 

 ; ■■f?^i-' . •-^.■^ center is a large natural morass 

 and lily-covered lagoon, and 

 here a splendid jDair of rhinos 

 enjoy themselves. A few years 

 ago a hybrid rhinoceros was born in the Garden. 

 A single young elephant is exhibited, this ani- 

 mal being common in the country as a domestic 

 beast of burden. 



Of all the mammals in the Garden none de- 

 lighted me more than the cat bear, or panda, 

 (.lehints fulgens). In color it was beautiful; 

 in form and gait most comic. Bright golden 

 yellow, with dark chocolate legs and under- 

 parts, the quaint, absurdly small, round face and 

 lower lip were a conspicuous white, while the tail 

 was very long, fluflj' and ringed like a coon's. 

 The gait was a rolling one, and a favorite sleep- 

 ing posture was to lie at full length on a perch 



ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN, CALCUTTA. 

 Flying aviary for large water- foul. 



