15 



for reproduction in Europe when judiciously treated, The 

 first instance on record in this country is the Hybrid Bird 

 produced in the Society's Menagerie in 1848, followed by 

 another in the following year, which is still living in the 

 Collection. The very beautiful pair purchased in 1857} 

 hatched out two Birds late in the autumn, which (probably 

 on account of the season) did not, however, long survive. 

 The robust health in which they now are, as well as a pair 

 of the ordinary Goura, gives room for expecting a more 

 successful result in the approaching summer. 



The Ashy-headed Goose has now bred for several 

 years in the Menagerie, and has proved itself perfectly 

 capable of accliraatation. The Birds which have been dis- 

 tributed by the Society have succeeded equally well in 

 France and Belgium ; and this species, originally imported 

 by the late Earl of Derby in 1849, may now be considered 

 firmly established in Europe. 



By the liberality and zeal of His Excellency Capt. Thomas 

 E. L. Moore, R.N., Governor of the Falkland Islands, the 

 Society have received a closely allied species of still more 

 beautiful plumage, from which it is to be hoped sioailair 

 results will be obtained. The true Bernicla magellanica, 

 called in the Falkland Islands the Upland Goose, differs 

 in a remarkable manner from all its congeners, in the 

 great dissimilarity of the male and female. It is a more 

 powerful, and altogether a more imposing Bird than the 

 better-known species, and is perhaps the finest addition to 

 our series of Exotic Water Fowl which has been recently 

 made, with the exception of 



The Black^necked Swan. — This excessively beauti- 

 ful species was acquired in 1851, but remained unproduc- 

 tive until 1857, when four birds were successfully hatched 

 out in a nest which had been constructed in a retired corner 

 of their enclosure in the month of April. These cygnets 

 rapidly acquired the plumqge of the adult state, and continue 

 to be one of the most brilliant ornaments of the Collection. 

 The breeding birds, and two others since dead, were im- 

 ported by the late Earl of Derby ; but the Society are in- 

 debted to Captain the Hon. E. A. Harris, R.N., while 

 Consul- General in Chili, for a third pair, the female of 

 which still survives, and may possibly, with the existing 

 stock, perpetuate this highly desirable species as success- 

 fully as has been done with some of the earlier intrpdiig'!- 

 tipns of aquatic birds. 



