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ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN, CALCUTTA, 

 Small double aviary, Mynah in foreground, 



or beam with all four leg,s dangling. These 

 strange Himalayan forms are gentle and affec- 

 tionate, and are now breeding regularly in the 

 Garden. 



The reptile exhibit is uninteresting. Cobras 

 .alternating with king cobras and Russel vipers 

 in cage after cage. 



Fine specimens of black and clouded leopards 

 are the only carnivores worthy of mention, but 

 the collection of foxes, jackals and smaller cats, 

 as well as of squirrels, contains many rare 

 species. The great wolf-like wild red dog, 

 {Cyon dukhunensis), is one of the most danger- 

 ous animals in India. The tapirs breed freely 

 here, as do the kiangs and wild asses. 



To an ornithologist from the western world, 

 the wild birds of the Calcutta Zoological Garden 

 vie in interest with those confined in the aviaries. 

 The shortest walk through the Garden will re- 

 veal a score of species — drongos, wandering 

 tree-pies, golden-backed woodpeckers, mynahs 

 and bulbuls, in the trees ; egrets and house 

 crows perched on the backs of the ruminants ; 

 griffon vultures and kites soaring in mid-air. 

 In a clump of trees and bushes on the shore of 

 one of the tiny lakes is a large breeding colony 

 of wild night-herons, egrets and snakebirds, a 

 most enviable possession for any zoological 

 garden. 



The captive birds are scattered about in small, 

 isolated aviaries, half hidden among luxuriant 

 trees, flowering vines and shrubs, all of course 

 unheated and exposed to the open air. 



One circular aviary has an artistic winding 

 cement rivulet, along wliose gradually descend- 



ing course are perched silver 

 l)heasants. Mandarin ducks 

 and beautiful lories and parra- 

 keets. 



A well-planned water-fowl 

 flying-cage ffty by seventy- 

 five, by twelve feet high, con- 

 tains a large flock of sacred 

 .md scarlet ibis — the latter 

 breeding regularly and never 

 losing their brilliant color. 

 (ireat comb ducks, Asiatic 

 s|)oonbills with fluted mandi- 

 bles and scarlet eyes ; big gal- 

 linulcs sitting on their eggs, 

 and most remarkable of all, 

 an Indian pink-headed duck — 

 a dull, blackish bird with bill, 

 eyes, head and neck of intense 

 pink. A weird little stone 

 plover trots along the wire 

 netting, keeping pace with you as you walk 

 around the cage, hoping for food or attention. 



Loud cries attract our attention. Wok ! Wok ! 

 Wok ! Wok ! and in an octagonal aviary, amid 

 orchids and other flowers we find five species of 

 birds of paradise, which for years have lived in 

 perfect health. The lesser, the greater, the red, 

 the twelve-wired, and, clad like the impeyan 

 Ijheasant in pliant metal, the magnificent rifle 

 bird. All defy description, putting to shame 

 our mounted museum specimens. 



The most pretentious building for birds is 

 known as the Sarnomovi House. In character- 

 istically native Indian style, we read that "this 

 liouse has been erected at the cost of l\Iaharaja 

 Alanindra Chandra Nandy, the worthy nephew 

 and successor of the late Maharani Sarnomoyi 

 of Cossimbazar." 



On three sides of the building are as many 

 lofty wire-covered outdoor cages, containing 

 bamboos and banana trees. Here, or in the in- 

 door cages, are quartered the parrots and cock- 

 atoos, the crowned pigeons, pheasants, franco- 

 lins and hornbills, besides numerous smaller 

 birds. The smaller hornbills fly about freely 

 and do not disturb birds of the size of a jay or 

 roller. The crowned pigeons breed every year. 

 A Javan jungle fowl quartered here was as 

 brilliant as any kind I have ever seen, with an 

 enormous drooping comb, rainbow-hued, — yel- 

 low, violet, green and blue, in close and startling 

 combination. 



In the cool of the morning, or of late after- 

 noon, a drive out to and through the Calcutta 



