134 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



on's fish^ or the small amount of grain which the ibises pick up, 

 instead of causing any harmful results, really is beneficial in giv- 

 ing variety of diet. 



//. and III. Economy of Room and of Labor in Cleaning and 

 Feeding. — A factor second only in importance to the health and 

 contentment of the birds is the facility and dispatch with which 

 the necessary cleaning and feeding may be accomplished ; and this 

 is altogether in favor of cages like the one under consideration. 

 Keeper Gannon reports that, owing to the generous water-supply, 

 ample room in which to move about, and for other reasons, the 

 large center cage of the Bird House requires only about as much 

 work to clean as three of the side cages, but its capacity for ac- 

 commodating birds is equal to twenty of the others ! 



IV. Added Interest to Visitors. — Viewing the results of this 

 cage from the stand-point of the visitor, its greatest advantage 

 lies in the fascinating spectacle it presents of life in an avian re- 

 public — a life governed by intricate laws and precedents ; which 

 are more democratic and binding than anyone not seeing daily 

 in evidence would be led to suppose could exist. If the mere 

 identification of the birds is enjoyable, how much more so is the 

 exhibition of new traits and characteristics, of casual encounters, 

 of laughable by-plays, and the remarkable intelligence shown by 

 some of the birds, all so generally absent from the " single-spe- 

 cies " cage. One could write of this phase of the subject indefi- 

 nitely, but the constantly changing life of this interesting com- 

 munity must be seen and watched to be appreciated. 



A bird " taking its turn " at bathing was spoken of ; and this 

 is not a meaningless phrase. Almost every species has its sep- 

 arate " turn " at the pool and feed-troughs. Perhaps early in the 

 morning the cormorants enjoy the water for a while, then fly to 

 the upper branches to dry themselves. Next the flamingoes may 

 go in, and, after doubling up their thin legs, nothing is visible 

 above the water but their long, snaky necks. After much splash- 

 ing they go out on the bank to preen themselves, and a medley of 

 little ducks and coots takes possession, shooting and diving 

 through the water in all directions. A serious clash hardly ever 

 occurs between old residents of the cage, and only with recent 

 comers, because the rights of the birds, the established leges sa- 

 lutis, are not yet known and recognized. 



One example of the good-natured dispositions of the birds is 



